Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 21:23:37 -0800
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: Idle control valve and very cold weather?
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is it the electronically controlled type of Idle Valve ?
( not just an Auxiliary Air Regulator - which is just a mechanical device
with a temp sensitive spring in it, and a heater element )
I can imagine moisture freezing and affecting things.
I can't quite visualize your fuel system hose layout, but do you have a
heater element in your breather hose ?
2.1 waterboxer vanagon engines use those.
It's a very simple stand along wire harness too - could be easily added to
any engine.
Perhaps your issue is why VW put them on 2.1 vanagons with Electronic Idle
Control Valves.
for a test, go out there in the cold morning with a hair dryer or heat gun,
and just mildly warm up the area of the idle valve and associated hoses, and
see if that make this erratic idle system not occur.
if it's the electronic kind.......the circuit that operates it comes to
mind, though I suspect that's in your ecu ......
and if so, you'd think cold temps and moisture wouldn't have any affect.
I'm going for moisture that's freezing.
btw.............remember how old VW bugs had a 'heat riser' exhaust circuit
under the intake manifold ?
If you have ever felt the bottom of the intake manifold on a VW bug engine
while it was running after just being started......
it's amazingly cold there. The evaporative qualities of gasoline, combined
with low temps and fast air flow, produce an extreme cooling affect - enough
to cause carb icing. Perhaps you are having Fuel Injection Icing.
heck, hang a 100 watt light bulb near the engine over night, and see if that
helps., If it's moisture and low temp related, I bet it will help or even
eliminate the symptom.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 7:32 PM
Subject: Idle control valve and very cold weather?
> It the idle control valve prone to problems during cold weather? I
> replaced mine with a new one last fall..and today it again started doing
> the
> "1500 rpm.....down to normal idle....1500rpm.....down to normal idle...
> cycle. Zero degree weather overnight and not going above about 10f all
> day. Van would not start without a bit of throttle either, first thing
> this
> morning...The cycling of the idle speed was this evening..and lasted for
> about 10 miles until the van was really up to warm temps. Exact symptoms
> I
> had from a failed Idle Control Valve...One shouldn't fail in under one
> year,
> right? Hope not they are not cheap .
> Do these things ice up or get sluggish in extreme cold?
> Don Hanson
