Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (May 2017, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sun, 21 May 2017 08:36:56 -0700
Reply-To:     Bruce Todd <beeceetee@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bruce Todd <beeceetee@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Intermittent Power Loss - '91 Westy
In-Reply-To:  <CANEuo0go1h5MxyjtzQ7Jt33Prc3NvNrVsbHWR+XQPCm2FRamxQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Hi Wes & All,

I had a relatively similar experience (seemingly) where I'd be driving around town and randomly I would experience loss of power and would have to nurse the rpms in order to get going again - this seemed to happen when I had stopped at a light and would have to get going again with the flow of traffic. The idle didn't drop but stayed at about 1000 however I did not have the power to get going and it felt if I stepped on the gas pedal directly the van would stall out.

As noted it was a random occurrence which seemed to slowly be getting worse - eventually the van was bad enough that at times it would stall out and I'd have to pull over and start it up again but I was able to get going right after that.

Anyway I took it to the mechanic who checked a number of things but of course the problem did not recur when he was driving it. Eventually he took the van out for another road test and the van died on him - this time it wouldn't restart. They got it back to the shop and diagnosed the distributor had packed it in.

End of story - just another consideration.

Bruce Todd

86 Westy Syncro

On Sun, May 21, 2017 at 5:44 AM, kenneth wilford <kenwilfy@gmail.com> wrote:

> If it is the oxygen sensor wiring there is an easy way to tell for sure. > When the van is running poorly, turn the ignition off and then back on > again. If you are driving down the road, you do not need to engage the > starter, the van will instantly restart. Does the van run better for 30 > seconds before running poorly again? If yes then 100% it is related to the > oxygen sensor wiring. The computer looks at all of the sensors immediately > when you start the van except for the oxygen sensor which is on a time > delay. > > If it is not the oxygen sensor wiring then ECU is the first suspect with > hall sender in distributor being second. If they have never been replaced, > I would preemptively replace them both as it is time. > > Of course we sell both of these items at vanagain.com. ECU is $250 and > hall sender is $149. Let me know what you find out. > > Ken Wilford at vanagain.com > > On May 20, 2017 1:48 PM, "Wes Neuenschwander" < > wes.neuenschwander@comcast.net> wrote: > > > While preparing our 'trusty' '91 Westy for a trip to the remote (and > > supremely lovely) Okanogan region of Eastern Washington, I experienced a > > sudden loss of power, with the rpm's dropping from 3,000 to around 800, > > even > > with the throttle depressed. Still on my local Seattle neighborhood > > streets, I pulled over and after a minute or so was able to nurse the > > engine > > back up to 3,000 rpm, restoring power and driving back home. Took it > > directly to my regular (and every excellent) local VW shop, Fine Tuning > in > > N. Seattle, without any power loss or other problems. The car repeated > > the > > power loss during a test drive, this time losing power completely and > > engine > > dying. The owner, Chris, was able to restart the engine after a couple > of > > minutes and got it back to the shop, where they went over the obvious > > stuff, > > not finding anything. Next day, they started the vehicle and left it > > idling > > for an hour or so, without problems. Subsequent test drives also went > > without problems. > > > > > > > > On Chris' suggestion we disconnected the O2 sensor and I've been driving > > it, > > mainly on short, local drives now for several days without incident. > > > > > > > > Haven't encountered anything similar in the 26 years we've owned the van > > (bought it new in '91), though have barely driven it for the last couple > of > > years (like 700 miles over 2 years!) with the van sitting in the garage, > > idle, for the last several months or so. > > > > > > > > In addition to the O2 sensor / sensor wiring possibility, Chris has also > > suggested it could also be a faulty ECU. The ECU is original, and I know > > these tend to have solder joint corrosion problems over time. I'm not > sure > > how old the O2 sensor might be, though it's probably not original (but I > > suspect it's pretty old). Ditto, I guess to a degree, various other > > sensors, as well as sensor wiring. Ignition components, including spark > > plug wiring, distributor, etc. have been fairly recently been replaced. > > > > > > > > The engine is a GoWesty 2.2L engine, installed nearly 10 years/25,000 > miles > > ago, and aside from the recent loss of power problems, has run > beautifully > > since it was installed. > > > > > > > > I've done a lot of searching of the Vanagon List archives for information > > about similar loss of power problems, so realize the O2 sensor and ECU > > issues are commonly involved in such situations, but would be most > grateful > > for any/all ideas or suggestions for other things to check. At this > point > > I'm more than willing to invest in a replacement O2 sensor and even (if > it > > seems indicated) a rebuilt ECU. However until something is found that > > reasonably explains these random power loss events I'm very reluctant to > > drive the van very far and certainly not into remote areas. > > > > > > > > Many thanks (as always)! > > > > > > > > -Wes > > > > ___________________ > > > > Wes Neuenschwander > > > > wes.neuenschwander@comcast.net > > > > C. 206.498.8787 > > >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.