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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
Comments: To: Ben S <phlogiston420@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <485c3ee60811122005t206afd31g6b6fd871bacf7294@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

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. > > To unsubscribe from the Vanagon List send an e-mail to > listserv@gerry.vanagon.com with SIGNOFF VANAGON in the body of the message. >

-- Sent from my mobile device

Chris S. Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"

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