Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 10:51:18 -0500
Reply-To: Sam Walters <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Sam Walters <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: Fixed...was 1.9 won't start/restart
In-Reply-To: <000001c4cc5d$d3fe9c00$d9323009@LIBERTY>
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David,
Are you talking about the plug from the ECU / wiring harness that
attaches to the side of the distributor?
Getting this connection firmly attached finally solved an intermittent
operation problem I was having, as described below. It seems that a
few others have mentioned this one in the last several months.
I had intermittent hesitations on the Westy Weekender from the time that
I bought it. The PO had these symptoms and had engaged a mechanic known
to the list in the Pacific NW to trouble shoot it while making an around
the country trip. Just about everything in the electronics of the fuel
injection and ignition systems was replaced, grounds cleaned, etc. I
bought it knowing this was a problem because I felt sure I could solve
it eventually without spending much, if any, money, given all that had
been done and replaced. And I had good parts from my 84 that I was
going to retire which could be used for troubleshooting, replacements
for virtually the entire FI system.
I replaced the vacuum hoses and there was some improvement, found an
almost broken wire to the O2 sensor which I fixed and felt some
improvement, swapped ECU, soldered the connection to the new connector
to the Temp II sensor, swapped that sensor even though it was new,
replaced the idle stabilizer for some improvement, ran without the O2
sensor connected, used fuel injector cleaner, changed plugs, and more,
but it would still buck sometimes (about every other trip of more than
20 miles) and about once a month would not start easily, though it never
stranded me.
Then one time when it decided not to start, I was checking for culprits
around the engine and pushed on this connection, which I had done
before, and felt it move and heard a slight snap or click. I
immediately tried to start the van and it cranked just fine. Since that
time several months and many thousand miles ago, it has not hesitated or
stumbled once and always starts with ease. I think that this was the
major source of the problem all along although there was some
improvement with a few of the other changes as noted.
The point of this is that I would recommend adding this connector on the
side of the distributor to the list of things to immediately check when
some variation of intermittent operation begins. Also, thoroughly
check all connections and grounds, before starting to throw money for
parts and labor into the solution of bucking, and other intermittent
problems.
Sam
--
Sam Walters
Baltimore, MD
89 Syncro GL
85 Westy Weekender
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