Date:         Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:21:26 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      The Bright Side of having your Vanagon act up...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

  Recently I posted asking for help with what I thought might be Vanagon
Syndrome...bucking and missing after sustained driving, but also at random
moments..This was on my 84 tin top with an inline VW ABA/hybrid Jetta-based
motor and a 5sp manual transmission.  Digifant engine management using
mostly the vanagon parts.

   The general consensus was that I should check the "usual suspects"...O2
sensor, Temp II sensor, grounds, etc etc. and then go after the air flow
flapper thingy that causes Vanagon syndrome..or so it is said.

 This has been a hard used and relatively trouble free van for me.  Worker
Van....  I don't particularly relish chasing down an unexplained and
significant problem with the electronic fuel injection, but I needed the
van running well because it's now also my main toy hauler fun vehicle.

     So I went to the O2 sensor first and found the signal wire was down to
about one strand intact.....just about broken completely..   I installed a
new O2 sensor.

  While I was under I noticed there was an unconnected vacuum line at the
bottom of the throttle body....On the inline that is right above the
exhaust, where the O2 sensor lives, right in front of my nose
there.......the loose vacuum line controls an intake air warm up circuit,
and.... that open vacuum port at the throttle body, that was probably what
has been causing me a slight hesitation, ever since last fall, when I
resume throttle.  Plugged that back in.

  Tested the Temp II sender as the Bently says and that was good, but I put
another in anyhow and cleaned all the connectors...

  Voila!  It again runs perfectly        And the bonus is my fuel economy
went back to where it should be....I think.   I have only done one tank of
driving since the fixing....150 miles in 50mph winds...out and back...and
150 miles of mixed driving but I again got almost 24mpg where I have been
getting down to 21 and my last tank, with the problem ongoing, that was
only 20mpg..   The resume throttle hesitation is gone, too.

   So, I was thinking..."Oh, the old van, it's just getting tired..that is
why the fuel economy has dropped a little and why it sometimes lags when
you get back in the gas"....But thanks to the Serious bucking and missing
episodes *forcing me* to actually crawl under and work on stuff, I found
simple fixes that restored the van to nearly perfect running again...all
without spending a dime...had the spares under my bench seat..

  That is the bright side, and I am going to relish that thought...

   Don Hanson