Date:         Thu, 14 Nov 1996 15:03:46 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Tonya Pope <galba@premier.net>
Subject:      87 HELP!!!

Ya'll are going to get tired of me real soon, so be prepared.

87 Vanagon GL:

1)  Trying to replace coolant temp. sensor for FI.  Part given to me is
#025 906 041A.  Part I think (or thought) in van is #251 919 372.  Part
(again I thought) is at top of coolant expansion tank in rear corner of
engine compartment.  New part doesn't look like old part and old wire
connector won't fit into new part either.  Am I trying to stick this
thing in the wrong place?  Or do I need a different sensor?  HELP!!!

2)  Have had power problem for the last year.  Many dollars invested
hasn't helped.  New items:  fuel pump & filter, ignition coil, spark
plug wires, distributor, rotor, 02 sensor, air intake manifold, air
intake sensor, and magic sensor harness.  Also, just replaced all rubber
vacuum hose pieces (at least that I know of)--both ends of pink plastic
from throttle to vapor recovery, and piece from pressure regulator to
air housing(?)--near distributor in middle of engine.

Symptoms--original: after driving for an hour or so, severe loss of
power; okay again after it cools completely.  No indication of trouble
when going on short trips around town.  Newest:  Won't budge, idles
okay--little rough maybe; pressing gas=very rough, loss of RPMs, nearly
dying.  Put it into reverse or forward and it'll idle/coast.  Press gas,
wants to die.  NOTE:  Will work perfect for 1-3 weeks (even when I push
it and drive all day) after--it seems--I fool enough in engine
compartment.  i.e. new plug wires--worked for 3 weeks; got new intake
boot on all the way--worked for 1 week; wouldn't go anywhere for a week
then I replaced vacuum piece at throttle body and it made one round trip
to Baton Rouge (roughly 3 hours of driving including errands) before
dying again at home.

I've been told that this might be caused by cool. sensor thus the reason
for question 1.  Any other suggestions/ideas?

I'm REALLY DESPERATE!!! AND BROKE!!  (transmission rebuilt in the middle
of this as well.)  If you have any ideas, please tell me how to do it as
well--can't afford mechanics anymore--besides no one within 150 miles
seems to know what to do with my poor Vanagon anyway.

Dennis Haynes has been extremely helpful as I've bugged him since
January on AOL.  Thank you Thank you Thank you!  Thought I'd stop
bugging him and give the rest of you a crack at it!

Thanks SOOO much!!

Tonya
87 Vanagon GL (sick)
74 S. Beetle