Date:         Fri, 7 Apr 1995 13:39:29 -0400 (EDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         sstones <sstones@io.org>
Subject:      Re: 85 Vanagon starts hard

On Thu, 6 Apr 1995, Chris Getschow wrote:

> Help!
> 
> My '85 Vanagon has trouble getting started.  Here's the scenario: 
> I have a couple theories.  The first is that I'm flooding the engine by repeated
> cranking (it seems more likely to fire after I let it sit).  The problem here
> is that it doesn't explain why the engine runs rough after starting on the
> first or second try.  The second is that there's something screwed up in the
> FI system that's causing the starting mixture to be richer the colder it gets
> outside.  I'm going to do some electrical tests tonight (per Bentley) if I can
> get the garage cleared out.. and then get the beast into the garage (the 
> driveway's uphill).  It would sure be nice if the Bentley folks included a
> little 'theory of operation' with all their pretty pictures -- they're a 
> little thin on troubleshooting info, I find.
> 
> So if you've made it this far then you must care :{) .  Can you help me?

:)

> 
> -- 
> Chris Getschow (getschow@an.hp.com, ringo@aerodyne.com) 
> Bedford, MA
> '85 Vanagon GL
> 

Well Chris,
Your Hypotheses are the same as I would have offered.  If it's flooding,
you can floor the accelerator with the key off, then still holding it
down, crank the engine for ten seconds.  This dries out the flooded
cylinders as the "brain" senses the floored accelerator and shuts off
the injectors. Don't crank for more than 14-15 seconds, it's not good
for the starter.
Another thought is that your injectors are dirtier than hell, (this
could lead to flooding as the gasoline would be injected but un-burnable.)
I would get a can of injector cleaner, the kind that is pressurized and
hooks up to the fuel rail and you run the engine off of it, not the cheap
stuff that you dump in the tank, but if your budget says go with the cheap
stuff, it'l help a bit.  Even if dirty injectors aren't the problem,  
cleaning 'em never hurts... Wait a minute, I can't think of where to attach
the cleaner can in a vanagon... Anyone know?... tell Chris.
If it's not these problems... And it is the FI brain...
I'm sorry Chris, but I can't help you...  And it's gonna mean eating
navy beans for a month because your paycheck is goin straight into the van.


Cheers

<sstones@io.org>
SStones             Toronto,  Ontario.