Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:30:35 -0700
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: Right turn into driveway kills engine (1.9L '84 2-WD)
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="utf-8"; reply-type=original
Hi..
I just start checking every adjustment in the whole fuel injection setup,
the short answer is 'check everything' .........and then some.
every air hose..
fuel pressure ..
ignition timing ..
throttle switch making contact at zero throttle..
oxygen sensor, and 02 sensor wiring ..
on and on.
ground connections etc.
I would look for it to fall into one of two main realms..
1....various things are out of whack and not to spec..
and more than one thing too ( ! ) ..not just 'one thing'. It is seldom 'one
thing.' It's 5 half things ..
and when you find and fix them, the van with be fixed for this issue.
or 2..
things are all pretty close and within spec..
and it is genuinely something intermittent.
I have seen intermittent fuel delivery out of a very old fuel tank.
I have seen intermittent ignition 1.9 wbxr engines.
I only just recently found a source for a New Idle Stabizler ..
I've replaced Hall Senders for intermittent ignition ..
so it's consistent and you find it ..great.
btw..
wiggle wires and hoses and things will the engine is idle...see if you can
get it act up.
watch the engine run in total darkness..
if you see tiny sparks...replace spark plug wires.
it it's a truly intermittent thing..like ignition ..
you just have to stay after it until you finally get it. ...'whatever it
takes' is a helpful motto there.
Like if you can find something that is 'it' for sure ..
that sure is nice !
I would say an essential problem might be not recognizing when things are
not like they should be ...
like seeing some part or adjustment and knowing what it supposed to be
like...and correcting it.
If you don't know what is normal in the first place....that makes it harder
of course.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Lauterbach" <jhlauterbach@BELLSOUTH.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 9:28 AM
Subject: Re: Right turn into driveway kills engine (1.9L '84 2-WD)
> Hello Scott:
>
> Yes, I have a tachometer (updated instrument cluster). Yes, it is a
> slow kill, not instant off. Yesterday afternoon, I took the entrance to
> my driveway very slowly and the engine did not die. I then pulled up to
> the point on my driveway where I stop, open the garage door with the
> door opener, and do a sharp left turn into the garage. It is a slight
> downhill into the garage so van will move on its own once I let uo on
> the brake pedal. As the front of the van went under the door opening,
> engine started struggling, and RPMs went down to 200-400 for a few
> seconds before engine died. I could immediately restart the engine.
>
> Any ideas on what to do next?
>
> John
>
>
> On Tue, 2011-07-12 at 02:18 -0700, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>> hi John,
>> one..is it a 'hard' loss of power and response, or is it 'soft' ?
>>
>> If it does it going down the road ...try quickly turning key off and then
>> back on..
>> let us know if that makes it 'go again.'
>>
>> doubt that you have a tachometer..
>> but if you do observe if tach drops to zero during power loss...if it
>> does,
>> points to ignition.
>>
>> bypass your idle stabilizer as an experiment.
>> I found a pretty-darn-sure bad one recently.
>> Still looking for a source for new ones.
>>
>> the immediate restart, does not sound like a fuel issue.
>> sounds more like ignition.
>> fuel injection is pretty consistent in terms of 'won't go/does go' ..
>> might 'go' poorly ..
>> but 'usually' FI 'works' more or less.
>>
>> fwiw..
>> you wouldn't believe how many waterboxer vanagons I find with throttle
>> switches not making contact at idle.
>> just found one today ..
>> 83 westy-
>> dead 02 sensor,
>> galled/striped O2 sensor threads.
>> throttle switch not making contact ..
>> it's 'out of tune at idle' I say.
>> may have a fuel tank issue as well.
>> and more .
>>
>> I just did an 84 westy..
>> long history of cutting out ..runs again in a while.
>> Did Hall Sender, new igniter, new coil, good used Idle stabilizer..
>> I have not heard that it's not running consistently so it might be. .
>> and ..it ran way, way smoother and stronger at low to mid rpm after those
>> parts !
>> I still think it has a tired AFM due to 'uneven' acceleration.
>>
>> also ..
>> ignition switch ..
>> always consider that. not too likely, but a small underbuilt part, known
>> for
>> causing problems.
>>
>> say if it's an abrupt 'hard' shut off, or a soft one. please.
>> Scott
>> www.turbovans.com
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "John Lauterbach" <jhlauterbach@BELLSOUTH.NET>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 1:48 AM
>> Subject: Right turn into driveway kills engine (1.9L '84 2-WD)
>>
>>
>> > My mechanic had my van for a week and the only thing he could find that
>> > he thought was causing sporadic engine shutoffs was a dirty fuel
>> > filter.
>> >
>> > Engine runs great, except that it will shut off on its own when idling
>> > for more than a minute or so at a traffic light or when I turn into my
>> > driveway. I coast by house next to mine and make a sharp right turn
>> > into my driveway. Engine starts losing RPMs. Idle stabilizer tries to
>> > recover lost RPMs, but can't do enough. Engine immediately restarts.
>> >
>> > Above happens with full fuel tank or near empty one.
>> >
>> > John
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