Date:         Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:21:39 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Erratic idle solved with rebuild
Comments: To: "Jack R." <jack007@comcast.net>
In-Reply-To:  <BC2DBD9E305845E59995780DB8713719@jackamdgoblue2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

>
> These motors really do tell you when something isn't right.  Proper Ground,
> vacuum, sensors, oil, coolant, etc.  Who needs OBD II right?  We have the
> list, and our personal list of all the parts we have changed!

We are the human database of Vanagon, a vague but persistent organic
computer dedicated to them.
>
> Glad your motor is back to normal!

I'm going to accept your congratulations when I'm hauling a thousand
pounds of stuff at 70 all day long in 100 degree heat with the AC
going full blast! Until then, we'll see. Thanks for mentioning.

Jim
>
> Jack R.
> 84 Westy Wolfie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Jim Felder
> Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 2:56 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Erratic idle solved with rebuild
>
> For the past year or so, I've written a few times to get help with an
> erratic idle problem. The car might stick around 900 RPM or it might
> range up to 1500 or 1700, sometimes higher. Kicking the throttle might
> or might not have brought it back down.
>
> Going over my log of all the problems with this engine, it seems that
> my troubles started a year ago when all the belts came off in a mess
> while my wife was driving. This probably cracked a head. The head may
> have already been cracked, as the car would miss under a load at
> highway speed, blow off the temp level sensor, things like that. Maybe
> a total of six or eight things like that. The car was clearly trying
> to tell me something!
>
> Anyway, when I recently rebuilt the car, I laid all the FI stuff aside
> and did not touch it. I bolted it back on, expecting to have to deal
> with the idle problem once the car was running. That has not been the
> case, it idles like it did when new.
>
> If you have a ranging idle problem, my advice is save up for new
> heads. The bad mix resulting from the presence of water apparently
> fools the system into some bad habits.
>
> Jim
>
>