Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2005 08:11:33 -0800
Reply-To: Craig Oda <craigoda@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Craig Oda <craigoda@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon running rough
In-Reply-To: <41E19FA9.1010803@switch99.f2s.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Stew,
IMO, it's not the oil or the hydraulic lifters that causing your woes.
I would check things that affect the fuel/air mixture. One thing
that really affects fuel/air is the O2 sensor. Try disconnecting it
from the ECU.
Another thing that affects the mixture is a vacuum leak or other
problem that results in air getting into the mixture after it passes
the AFM.
The van may be running lean. When you first start the van, the ECU
has an automatic timer that injects more fuel into the mixture,
causing it to run rich. This may be allowing the van to run smoothly
right when you start it. When the van is cold, the engine temp sensor
tells the ECU to inject more fuel because the cold air is denser. In
both conditions, you're running artificially rich for brief periods,
which may compensate for an overly lean engine.
You can disable the O2 sensor by disconnecting the wire that goes from
the sensor on the exhaust pipe under the van to the ECU wiring
harness. The van will run without the O2 sensor connected. If this
improves conditions, buy a new O2 sensor.
Look for any air (vacuum) lines that are disconnected.
Trip sounds fantastic.
-- Craig
On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 21:18:33 +0000, Stew <stew@switch99.f2s.com> wrote:
> Earlier this year I bought a 78,000 mile 2.1L 1991 VW Caravelle.
> Took it for a good test drive - about 10 miles everything seemed fine.
> Ran it for a couple of months with no problems whatsoever and really
> began getting 'into it!'
> Decided to take a bit of a holiday round Europe (I live in UK), so
> managed to get a week off at very short notice and 'did Europe' -
> 1350miles in 6 days (couldn't get any more time off right then). It ran
> beautifully.
> Continued to use it as my everyday vehicle and for weekends away with no
> problems for a couple of months.
> I then took a trip to London (350 miles). Just before leaving I changed
> the oil, checked the plugs etc. ( I put them back in as the looked fine )
> Half way there, it seemed very low on power (It's the DJ engine -
> 112BHP). On getting off the motorway it kept stalling and generally
> running rough.
> Started to search the net - the first thing I found was about Oil
> viscosity - too thin and the hydraulic tappets don't lift enough - I had
> just used a premium brand multigrade and so I flushed the old oil and
> replaced it with the specified grade. No difference.
> The thing is - the ammount of power available varies from day to day -
> sometimes running a little rough other times really bad.
> It starts perfectly hot or cold.
> When it is cold, it runs fine - not sure about power - seems OK but then
> I never stress a cold engine.
> As soon as it warms up it will start playin up - if you pull up at the
> lights it'll idle for a minute or so, then stall. Starts fine again
> though and just needs to be kept at about 1100rpm to keep running. I can
> see no water in the oil, no oil in the water, and it seems to use very
> little of either. I have seen no evidence of water or oil leaks. (so I'm
> praying it's not pitted heads).
> I've searched through every vanagon page I can find and can see no
> symptoms that match what I'm seeing.
> I had a bit of a breakthough though - ever since getting the van, if you
> fill the fuel tank to the top it leaks (it was replaced by a garage
> about 6 months before i got it - I have the receipt) and I have read
> that the fuel filter blocks frequently. Took the filter off and emptied
> about 50cc of grey sludge out. Put it back on and it seemed to run
> better, so Iwent and bought a replacement - it ran a little better
> again. However - it then slowly deteriorated again. Tried emptying the
> new filter but it's clean, so tried it with the filter bypassed with a
> piece of tube - no different.
> I did have to change the starter motor a week or so before it played up,
> but as it ran fine afterwards, and I've checked to make sure othing has
> been dislodged.
> Anyone any ideas?
> Stew
>
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