Date:         Thu, 1 Oct 2009 16:46:37 -0500
Reply-To:     Ramon Hill <route66rider@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ramon Hill <route66rider@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      Re: Throttle Idle RPM question
Comments: To: joel walker <uncajoel@bellsouth.net>
In-Reply-To:  <B51E0B96A2874E59B8A1D3F29BFCEA98@gp207joel>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

From this message below, am I to understand that the throttle RPM is somehow
electrically controlled then?
=============================

{{ My daughter's 1986 (2.1) Vanagon (AKA: The Mystery Machine) has sat for
about 6 to 8 months without being used (she is USAF & just returned home for
a short break).  When I started it for her the other day it would not run
unless I kept my foot on the accelerator pedal.  If I took my foot off, the
idle speed would drop to zero & it would die.  No real problem with being
smooth running or anything, it just has no idle setting now.  Anyone care to
comment as to what may have happened?  It was running fine before the period
of non use.}}


 =======================================================================
-----Original Message-----
From: joel walker [mailto:uncajoel@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 1:29 PM
To: Ramon Hill
Subject: Re: Throttle Idle RPM question

Do the cheap stuff first, and in this case, the most likely stuff ...

Pull each fuse out of the fuse box, clean the contacts on the fuse and push
it back into the fuse box. Pull it out again and push it back. do that about
three times on each fuse.

Corrosion can set up on the exposed metal and cause electrical gremlins in
cars that sit a while, especially in humid climates.

In the engine area, pull each brown wire off and clean the contacts and put
it back and make sure it's tight onto its connector. do one wire at a time,
so you remember where it came off. ;)  The fuel injection is VERY sensitive
to bad electrical grounds.

Also on the coolant temp sensor, on the thermostat, kinda in the
front/left/driver corner of the engine compartment, but "outside", kinda
under the cargo deck, the sensor is sticking out sideways toward the left
rear wheel ... press down on the long-side silver wire (check the fuel
injectors for a clearer idea of what you're dealing with) and that springs
out the side clips and you can wiggle the connector off. Clean the contacts
and put it back.

Do the same with the idle stabilizer valve ... that brass-colored cylinder
in the middle right of the engine, with two black hoses going to it, and one
electrical connector at one end ... Unclip the wiring connector and clean
the contacts.

All those things together might actually solve the problem, but at the very
least, it'll keep the problem from hiding behind bad contacts.

good luck!
joel