Date:         Mon, 2 Jun 2008 16:56:47 -0400
Reply-To:     Poppie Jagersand <poppie.jagersand@YAHOO.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Poppie Jagersand <poppie.jagersand@YAHOO.CA>
Subject:      Re: Trouble with '85 1.9l wasserboxer in Europe
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Hi,

An update on the (resolution of) mz engine troubles in Europe
and return to with the 85 Westy.

Those of you who suggested a fuel supply problem were right
on. Finally at one point I could hear how the fuel pump was struggling
to build pressure even before cranking.

What made it difficult for me to diagnose right was that the problem
was very intermittent. Sometimes it would get gas, sometimes not.

Cause was likely tank(s) of bad gas, or old gunk in the gas tank from
the van sitting over the winter.

Changing the fuel filter, and running injector and valve cleaner
 through it
made the engine run reliably again.

I am still puzzled bz the low voltage reading at the O2 sensor.
Should it really be in the 20mV range?
I am thinking the engine may be running a bit rich.

The unplanned stop was stressful for the SO.
The rest of the trip was uneventful, and SO pleased by a visit to the
fashion boutiques in Strassbourg in France and a tour through the
pretty villages along route de vin in Alsace.

Martin


Poppie Jagersand <poppie.jagersand@yahoo.ca> wrote:    Thanks to all for many tips.

  This morning I took off and measured the ECU wiring harness
  according to Bentley. All checks out ok.

  Also tested O2 sensor with a sigital multimeter. When running it
  averages about 20mV. It varies from 10-30mV going up on acceleration
  and deacceleration, then stabilizes on fixed RPMs.
  The low voltage was surprising to me. The only other gas engine I
  worked on (a Mitsubishi I4 2.6) I recall had O2 voltage at about 0.7 to 1V.
  Nevertheless the O2 seems to be unlikely to cause the big stumbling
  problem. I tried iwth it disconeccted an no change.

  For the basics: Spark plugs and wires were just changed before the trip.
  Distributor cap looked OK, but maybe I should replace that also.
  I have no means to check timing.

  Someone mentioned the hall sender in the distributor. I will look
  into that. The Bentley test is that it should measure Battery voltage minus
  1.5 V. Mine was lower than that. Anothet tip was a rpm limiter/timing advance
  control box in the front right of the engine compartment. I thought that
  asvance was mechanical as usual, so only checked the vaccum lines
  Are there electrical connections for this as well?

  Today it ran a bit better already in the morning. We were able to drive
  back from France to Saarbruecken. I tried filling with different gas
  a couple of times, and maybe this is just my imagination, buit it
  seems like it runs worse after some fillings and better after some.
  I also tried valve and injector cleaner additatives. Not sure if it
  was this that helped or not.

I will change the fuel filter just in case as suggested. Though when it
  runs it will run strongly so I was assuming it was getting enough fuel.

  Another fuel delivery related  device mentioned in Bentley is a fuel
  pressure regulator. I was not sure how to test this. I have no pressure
  tester. The van has had an aftermarket fuel pump for 3000 miles
  (This is a US model and VW didīnot sell these here.)

  I will also check out mechanics through Thomas Koch.
  Though just at the moment the engine runs right again, so it
  will be hard to explain the problem. (with bas luck it will come
  back tommorrow Sat when the mechs are closed.)

  Thanks again,
  Martin


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