Date:         02 Jul 96 09:21:19 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         CARVER_JEFFREY@aphub.aerojetpd.com (Jeff Carver)
Subject:      Re: Fuel Injection Help NEEDED!

Bill -
I have a '80 Westphalia, and similar problems with lack of power to 
the fuel pump, was related to the Fuel pump Relay not being grounded 
to the body.  I can't remember where it was on my '76, but on the '80 
looking into the engine compartment, against the front wall, upper 
left, it's a aluminum housing with a bunch of white wires. 
Check the screw holding it to the body,  it can't hurt to re-attach 
it to the body, good luck.

Re: Bad ignition switch, I've changed mine twice and the problems 
didn't go away until I put a solenoid relay between the start switch 
and the starter, (like I did with my '64 deluxe years ago) due to age 
affecting the ability of electricity to travel long wires in an older 
vehicle.  Although the ignition switch is cheap and easy to replace 
in an '80.  If the solenoid didn't work I was going to completely 
rewire a entirely different ignition switch and avoiding the steering 
column.  Good Luck.

I had a '76, loved it, 20,000 miles in 4 months, no problems, very 
reliable, wish I hadn't rolled it in Manitoba
(of course I then drove it back to Seattle to be totaled by the 
insurance company)

Jeff Carver
carver_jeffrey@aphub.aerojetpd.com

> Symptoms:
> 
> Van ran fine when I backed it out before loading. One hour later,
> it started normally, although it seems to be reving fairly high (2000rpm?).
> THis is faster than it normally revs when starting.
> As soon as, or shortly after the ignition switch is released to the on postion,
> the engine dies.
> 
> After the engine dies, if you leave the ignition switch ON:
> The fuel pump runs for about 1 second and then stops.
> There is +12V on the coil hot terminal.
> 
> If you hold the ignition switch in the START position, the engine continues
> to run at fairly high revs (2000rpm?) for as long as I dared hold the starter
> engaged at these RPMs (about 3 seconds), and then dies when released to the
> ON position.
> 
> NOTE: All tests were done with a four year old asking every 2 seconds "Is it
> fixed yet? Are we going yet? I think its the distibitter. Thats whats wrong!..."
> So they may not be too accurate;-)
> 
> Questions:
> 
> Is there a Fuel Injection FAQ?
> 
> What is wrong?
> These symptoms would be a bad igntion ballast resistor in any other car,
> but my wiring diagram shows it doesn't have one? Is this true?
> 
> I also assume that becuase there is +12V at the coil, after it dies, that there
> is not a problem related to ignition power, or fuel injection power, as my
> diagram shows them connected together to the same ignition switch contact. 
> However a mechanic at the dealer reluctantly admitted that 
> "these sorts of thing are usually a bad ignition switch". Have I made a bad
> assumption here? How do I test the ignition switch? What sort of things would I
> look for?
> 
> Reading through the scetchy Haynes manual I have.
> I notice that the "double relay" is involved in powering the injectors, and fuel
> pump. What is its function, and normal operation? How could I test it?
> can I jump it out, to see if the van works in this relay's normal run mode? how?
> 
> Also what does the throttle switch do? How does it affect the operation, 
> described above.
> 
> 
> Thanks for any help you can give. Respond soon if you can, as this is my daily
> driver. I'm paranoid that the dealer will change things in order of
> decreasing price, starting at the ECU, so I'd like to tackle this myself if I
> can.
> 
> Thanks
> Bill Crick 
> 76 Type II/IV/VII
> Ottawa Canada
> email ->   crick@bnr.ca
> 
> PS: Please don't send me posts telling me to rip it all out and convert to 
>     carbs. My van is all stock, and I'd like to fix it and keep it stock
>     if I can.
>     If I find out it is going to cost a lot to fix, well then I may ask for 
>     carb conversion info;-0 TNX BC 
>