Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:25:41 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about temp II sensor and bad running
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
most fortunately vanagons do not have a cold start injector or thermal time
switch to worry about.
Never did like them thangs.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jake Beaulieu" <jake_beaulieu@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 11:27 AM
Subject: Re: Question about temp II sensor and bad running
Hey Jim,
I suggest testing the temp II sensor. I don't have the Bentley in front of
me so I can't direct you to the right page, but it is easy. You stick one
lead of a mulitmeter to the wire coming from the temp II sensor, and connect
the other lead to a ground (i.e. the base of the sensor). Measure the
resistance as the van warms up and compare to the Bentley specs. If the
sensor checks out fine, then make sure that the signal is actually making it
to the ECU. This can be done by removing the harness plug from the ECU and
inserting your multimeter leads into the pins for the Temp II sensor. I
don't know which pins they are off the top of my head, but its in the
Bentley. If everything is good, you will get the same readings you got at
the sensor. If you don't, then you likely have a broken wire in the harness.
They may be other temperature related FI items that I am not aware of. All
of my experience is with air cooled Vanagons. Is there a water temp sensor
that sends info to the ECU? If so, I am sure it can be tested.
Do the water cooled vans have a thermo-time switch, aux air valve, or cold
start injector? These are all temp sensitive items in air cooled vans that
might produce the symptoms you describe when defective.
I agree with your conclusion that the symptoms are not consistent with a
faulty ECU. When mine went bad it would run fine until I hit a bump on the
road, then it would bog down and die. I would usually have to tap it again
to get it going. However, if there was a connection in the ECU that finally
gave out completely, it might produce the symptoms you describe. Sure would
be nice if you could swap in a known good ECU.
Good luck.
jake
--- On Thu, 9/11/08, Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Question about temp II sensor and bad running
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Thursday, September 11, 2008, 12:18 PM
I'm starting a new thread on this because I am desperate to get the
van running... wife doesn't have a car without it right now.
In the earlier threads I started on this subject, I had the car
stranded at walmart. Removed the distributor for examination and when
I went back this morning, it started right up... meaning that
something in the car cooled down and the start was a coincidence or
else fiddling with the distributor connection solved the no-start
problem.
Then another problem appeared or else there was a related problem I
don't get. The car ran great for less than a minute and then started
running horribly. I barely made it home two miles away with a spot or
two of running great, but mostly horribly.
I have started it many times through the morning and afternoon. Same
thing always happens: starts great, runs strong, 30 seconds or a
minute later it's stumbling and then it stalls. I can do this until
the engine gets warm or let it cool and try it, the same thing
happens.
I removed the wires to the temp II sensor and jumpered the sensor
connections. No change. I removed the jumper. No change.
Ken Lewis has written and says it may yet be the hall effect sensor or
the ECU, but I don't understand how a bad connection or failed sensor
could create such a predictable situation of starting and then running
more and more poorly until a stall. Maybe it could, but I don't get
how.
Any ideas?
Thanks for hanging in there with me,
Jim
