Date: Sun, 6 Nov 2011 19:54:26 -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: '87 vanagon camper hesitating/bucking and burning
gas in méxico
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
hi...
Your oxygen sensor signal wire is the green coax. That's what you want to
unplug as a test.
There is also a two connector plug with it ..
that's for oxygen sensor heat. ( a 12 V heating element inside the oxygen
sensor. You can leave it connected, or disconnec it. )
the other odd wire already disconnected makes me think of AC compressor
wiring.
Cleaning the distrubutor contacts won't make any difference at all.
Way back in the 70's with points ignition, I did clean those with a small
knife blade and wd-40. I *never* bother now. If it's a non-bosch cap, I
replace it with a Bosch one.
I have seen them run just *forever* with no problems.
A little arching wear on those contacts doesn't hurt anything.
Plug wires are more apt to be an issue than a Bosch dist cap with a little
wear on the contacts inside.
there is a braided cable ..
that goes from the left 'firewall' ( left inner fender actually ) to the
left cylinder head.
It's hard to fine where it bolts to the firewall under the coil..
but it's there.
Do consider the fuel itself as others have suggested.
I wouldn't worry about 'vanagon syndrome' much at this point ..
if it does actually occur ...
you are always going again after you shut it off and then restart.
and ..
really .............if you are driving along, and it acts up ..
turning the key off briefly, then back on, ( let the clutch out to fire it
back up if needed ) ..each time you do that ..it resets things in the ecu ..
and it may go again for a bit.
I had a case of cutting out and back firing and trying to quit on me on my
own 87 Wolfsburg..
I was just trying to make it 3 miles back to my shop ..
each time it flammed out ..
I just shut off and then right back on ..even keeping it in gear .
each time that got me another minute or so of good running.
that one turned out to be a bad distributor in the end.
Always consider Temp Sensor II ..
they can act up, be ok some times, not other times..
and given how small an not expensive that part is,
and the igntion swithc electrical part .
it's silly to journey forth without having spare ones along.
generally .........inspect and clean all connectors and contacts .
let us know how it goes !
scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "jes poynter" <clementineintwilight@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2011 12:22 PM
Subject: '87 vanagon camper hesitating/bucking and burning gas in méxico
hello all,
this is my first email and i am new not only to the community but also
to working on my vw :) i will do my best to be accurate and informed.
we have been having issues with a lot of black smoke/gas burning as
well as the hesitating and bucking that seems to be so common with the
vanagons. we have had the fuel injectors cleaned, the coolant system
checked out and have replaced the AMF most recently with the problem still
occurring. we have had a friend here in the community send out our problem
to you all yesterday and received the suggestions he was given regarding
disconnecting the oxygen sensor and also cleaning the ground on the left
cylinder head, both the connections and where it goes onto, as well as
cleaning the distributor cap.
i do apologize but i need to ask for your patience and expertise
here. i am more than willing to learn how to work on this myself and do
have a copy of our manual. however i am writing for guidance and
elaboration on the above suggestions.
in regards to the 1st suggestion of disconnecting the oxygen sensor,
we did so at the connector and the problem seemed to persist during a test
drive. i read elsewhere "Disconnect the Oxygen sensor wire and see if that
does not correct the condition. It is the green wire on the extreme left
side of the engine compartment." and am wondering if this is a good next
step. so i went out to take a look and am just not sure which one is the
correct wire. additionally, there seems to be one wire already
disconnected, though it is a green and yellow/white wire with a yellow
rectangular blade terminal (i think) at the disconnected end. is this
supposed to be disconnected? is this the wire to the oxygen sensor already
disconnected? if not, what is it and do i let it be?
in regards to the 2nd suggestion, the easy part of cleaning the
distributor cap i checked up on and it is very clean. the portion i am
having more difficulty with is knowing exactly where to go to clean the
ground on the left cylinder head. i honestly don't know where it is. i
apologize but am genuinely asking to learn from anyone willing to teach me
here in the community. a picture or a place in the manual to look for the
picture would be very helpful to me as reference. and again my gratitude
for your patience.
i realize i can continue to look up pictures of these parts and glean
info that way, which i will do, but i am reaching out as i have been
dealing with this issue intensely for almost 2 weeks, working with other
mechanics and not getting very far, literally as i am traveling with my
family in méxico but we haven't driven anywhere in days.
additionally, i should mention, i have been learning about the
"vanagon syndrome" and researching the fix with the capacitor/transformer
part and do see the options available there; i just don't want to have to
wait on a part another week if there are options to check. i want to at
least be active in attempting to understand the issue and learning about
the engine. i have been reminded that i can learn to fix these issues
myself with the help of those who know and are willing, as well as my own
motivation. if there are any other specific questions i can answer for
anyone who is interested in helping me resolve this, i'll gladly do so, of
course. and i think it should be stated that any other suggestions are
most welcome.
thanks! jes
