Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:53:40 -0500
Reply-To: Chris S <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Chris S <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: troubleshooting a starting problem
In-Reply-To: <485c3ee60811122005t206afd31g6b6fd871bacf7294@mail.gmail.com>
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Did you unplug the O2 sensor to see of that changes things?
On 11/12/08, Ben S <phlogiston420@gmail.com> wrote:
> i started having problems with my '86 westy while driving last
> weekend. it was our second good rain of the season here in san
> francisco, and after an afternoon of wet driving, i experienced the
> following phenomenon: if i let the engine speed get below about 2k rpm
> (at load or at idle), the engine would start to run poorly. it
> stalled out a couple times while i was idling at stoplights. the
> strange thing is that each time the engine started to struggle, the
> coolant warning light would come on and flash. then, if i revved up
> the engine, it would start running smoothly again and the light would
> go out.
>
> when i came back the next (dry sunny) afternoon and tried to start
> her, i got very little response--the engine was cranking nice and
> strong but hardly even sputtering or missing... just cranking and
> cranking. eventually it started and i got home. while i was driving
> the power seemed normal (no missing) as long as i kept the engine
> above 2k. once i parked i started poking around in the engine.
> here's what i found:
>
> the heater in the crankcase breather hose was unplugged. plugging it
> back in did not help. the throttle switch was reading open circuit
> with the throttle closed. i put a jumper wire in the connector to it
> (to simulate a closed switch because i was too lazy to adjust it) and
> this did not help either. i tried unplugging the temp II sensor.
> this did not help. i verified that the idle air controller was
> "vibrating" with the ignition switch on. i checked the resistance of
> the air flow sensor and it was in spec. i checked the resistance of
> the air temp sensor (same connector) and it was maybe a hundred ohms
> over the value given in bently for 68degF (ambient temp was 71deg
> according to my dash thermo). primary and secondary dc resistance
> were also in spec on the ignition coil.
>
> my engine has 175k on the clock. my ignition wires are the good bosch
> ones with oem connectors and have 51k miles on them. spark plugs have
> about 15k miles. i changed the cap & rotor when i did the wires.
> visual inspection showed visible pitting on the contact surface of the
> rotor.
>
> what kind of component failures would cause this kind of issue? when
> i've had ignition system problems before (arcing from the wires or
> fouled plugs) the problems came on slowly and mainly manifested at
> high rpm... this problem appeared drastically and immediately with no
> warning. i'm thinking it must be either the hall sensor or 02 sensor.
> what's the best way to troubleshoot these without just throwing new
> parts at my engine??
>
> Ben.
>
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--
Sent from my mobile device
Chris S.
Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"
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