Date:         Wed, 29 Mar 2006 09:34:30 -0800
Reply-To:     wheelierider <iridewheelies@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         wheelierider <iridewheelies@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Burning up ECU; fixed!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Thanks for all the advice, and the offer of parts.  I fixed my problem.

I am not sure why but It seems the hall effect unit was burning up my ECUs.  I ordered a new distributor from Bus Depot and purchased a used ECU from a kind list member for a good price.  I cleaned all the contacts on everything in the ignition and fuel injection that I could find then just put it all back together.  To my astonishment if fired up on the first try, only turned over once before it started!  It had been sitting in my driveway for over 6 months!  I gues I have been needing a new distributor for a while because it runs better than it ever has now.  
The only concern I have now is about the timing.  I just put the new distributor in exactly where the old one was.  I hate to admit that I've never checked the timing on my van before.  I'm not really sure how, I always did it by ear on my air cooled cars.  It is running perfect so I may not even  bother to check it.
Thanks for the help

Lee
89 syncro running!
  

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Lee Peterson
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 11:42 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: burning up ECUs


I need some help from the list!  I think I have something burning up the ECU
in my 89 syncro.

I had an issue a few times with the van cutting out if I drove it at, or
over, 70mph for more than a few minutes on the freeway.  The motor would
buck and sometimes just die all together.  When it died the tach would
plummet to zero.  It didn't feel like the "vanagon syndrome", it would die
instantly.  If I pulled over and waited for a while it would start back up,
sometimes I would try to wiggle some wires or scratch my head real hard
before it would start again.  Last time it happened it died for good.  Towed
it to my house and started to troubleshoot.

When I turned the key on, the fuel pump wouldn't run for a second like it
should.  I decided to try an ECU.  I called around town to get a replacment
and was told they were unavailable or would cost $1000.  I was told by two
repair shops that the ECU never goes bad, maybe I should try the hall sender
first.  Lucky for me I have a buddy with a wrecked van in his yard, same
year,  Same ECU part number, 022D.  I plugged it in and the fuel pump ran
like it should when I turned the key.  I got it to start and idle but when I
reved it up to around 3000 rpm it would sputter.  I let it run for about 15
min to warm up before I took it for a test ride.  As soon as I accelerated
past 3000 rpm the motor died and would not restart.  After that the fuel
pump would not run when the key was turned.

I did the following checks in the Bentley manual:

24.61 fuel injection electrical testing,

Test 1 - ECU pins 13+14 and 14+19 test for battery voltage = good

Test 2 - ECU pins 13+25 test for battery voltage = good

Test 4 - bridge pins 3+13, fuel pump runs = good

Test 10 - pins 6+8 and 6+18  wiring to hall sender = good, checked for
shorts and continunity

28.43 Ignition system check

Hall sender check

check volage at outer terminals of hall sender connector, minimum 10 volts =
good with new ECU, bad with old ECU

There was another check that said to bround the coil wire and run starter
but I wasn't sure which wire on the coil to ground.

28.44 checking ignition switching function

check for voltage to increase to appoox. 4.5v at pins 1 and 15 on coil with
center witre of hall sender connector grounded and ignition on = no voltage.
Bentley says to replace ECU


It seems to me that the ECU is bad again but I'm afraid to plug another one
in and burn it up.  I was thinking of replacing the distributor and ECU at
the same time.  Bus Depot has rebuilt distributors for $190 + core and
Vanagain has ECUs for $250 + core on thier websites.

Are there any other checks I should do?  I'd hate to spend five hundred
bucks on parts if I don't have to!

Thanks,

Lee
iridewheelies@hotmail.com