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Date:         Tue, 7 Feb 1995 01:53:34 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smitht@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca (Tim Smith)
Subject:      Re: Dying FI etc.

>Ittermittetly, it misses a beat, and like 'stops', but >then will go again. lately the stops have been lasting more >than the goes. > >Some have suggested that this is the wiring to the double relay or >perhaps the air flow sensor? >

remove/re-insert the double relay a few times, with a bit of WD-40, but don't gunge up the socket, use a rag to wip the prongs down each time. Put your finger on the relay and have someone turn the ignition on/off, you should feel it 'click' if I remember correctly.

try to find the rats nest of brown ground wires near the centre of the engine, hidden under intake piping. Mine was wet/corroded and worked when wet! but when the engine dried it all out the connection weakened and it would die, stone dead.

If you are really stumbling on accel. only your capacitor on the side of the distributer may be dying, takes good current to ignite heavy fuel/air mixture. Heat will also get to a dying capacitor. The 'signs' are that the engine will stall at low speed, run at high revs with no load+light throttle, but has no power. If it only runs well at fool throttle, then you're running basically on the fuel enrichment circuit, governed by a micro-switch on the throttle housing, which would suggest main circuit problems. Go for the grounds first, they hold the key. My '78 fooled a 25+ year veteran factory VW mechanic with this problem. He was pouring raw gas into the intake 'manifold' to make it run for a few seconds trying to diagnose it. A bad day I guess. The air flow sensor can be checked with an Ohmmeter, see Bentley for pins to use, I gave away my '70s manual sorry. Look for drops, ie infinite resistance due to wire breaks, as you move the flap by hand. A sticking or damaged air box flap, usually caused by a good backfire or two can cause erratic behaviour also.

>Alternately, if anyone has any suggestions for improving my spelling,

just tell'em the keyboard has been drinking, apologies to Tom Waits.

tim s.


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