Date:         Sun, 6 Mar 2011 21:19:28 -0600
Reply-To:     Grungy <grungy@GRUNGY.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Grungy <grungy@GRUNGY.COM>
Subject:      sometimes it just won't go...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

Fell off the list last June.
Finally got back on, now that I really need all of you.

After my '90 broke a throw-out bearing fork, we bought an '89 Carat
on eBay and drove it back to Texas from the Sacramento area, roughly
Thanksgiving of 2009.

The '90 had other issues, including a huge dent in the roof from a
fallen tree (Hurricane Ike), and has been reduced to a parts car,
sadly. But this has allowed me to borrow freely to try to keep the
'89 running.

While the '89 ran like a champ all the way back from CA, it is now
stumbling badly.

Symptom: indicated idle speed on the tach changes while at idle
(usually faster) and after that it gags if the gas pedal is
depressed. If I let up, it idles again. Have to keep touching the gas
pedal until it revs UP a bit instead of slowing, then I can go again.
If I manage to stall it, it won't start again for a couple of
minutes. Sometimes, while driving on the freeway or elsewhere, we can
feel it stumbling - losing power, then catching up.

What I've replaced so far: plugs, plug wires, cap, rotor, coil wire,
fuel filter (previous all new) coil, idle stabilizer, exhaust from
the J-pipe, including O2 sensor, cat and muffler. Going to dig the
idle stabilizer controller out from behind the taillight in a few
minutes.

When it won't start, it's flooding, so there doesn't appear to be a
fuel pump problem.

I've noticed a crack in the rubber hose between the intake pipe on #3
and the air accumulator on top of the engine, but it doesn't look
like it's big or deep enough to leak. Yes, that needs to be replaced.

I've checked all of the electrical connections.
The only one that's loose is on the #2 fuel injector - it can slide
longitudinally (where the other three cannot when locked).

What else should I be trying?

Automatic transmission.
Cruise control has stopped working - and that might be related.
Cruise tries to work - I can feel the gas pedal trying to hold itself
down - but it slowly loses speed after being set.
The vacuum lines in the engine compartment look good, but I haven't
checked beyond the 'firewall' to where the carbon cannister is
supposed to be.
--

bcnu - Grungy  (Houston, TX)  opinions are just that.obviously.
60 dddPanel 69 Bug 89 Carat 04 Jetta TDI 05 Jetta Wagon TDI
g r u n g y AT g r u n g y DOT c o m