Date:         Mon, 10 Feb 1997 00:34:52 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         rudyb@sonic.net (Rudy Bardales)
Subject:      80 Vanagon gremlin update

        80 aircooled FI CA emission vanagon 4 speed manual trans.
        Have experienced engine shutdown after 30-40 mins. of driving which
required waiting 15 mins. to as long as 3 hours before restart.
        Have replaced over the last 4-5 months-airflow meter, coil,
cylinder head heat sensor, dual relay, thermo time switch, fuel
filter/pump. I've checked all contacts for frayed, loose, corroded, broken
wires, I've found a few but none of them solved the problem.
        I've also looked at the hall unit in the dist. and it looked okay,
but I found the plastic circular shield somewhat baked and a few of the
tab/legs have crumbled. It still seems to sit in its' original position.
But do you think this could be a problem? Should it be the root of the
shutdown/burp surges?
The van has been to 3! different shops now and the part replacement list
now includes air flow boot, 02 sensor,
        The last shop was a electrical/ fuel injection service. The
results- airflow boot had a number small cracks that were invisible to the
eye but seemed to a factor in the ignition shutdown, fuel pressure at the
injectors were good.
        It was idling real rough. so they adjusted the dist. to o degrees
and adjusted the co. I've had the van over the weekend and it seems to be
idling smoother but it feels like it surges in 1st and 2nd as I accelerate,
also seems to have less power, though it cruises efortlessly @ 65-70/mph
when warm.
        It still ocassionaly "burps and cuts out" ocassionally but hasn't
shutdown.
        Startups when cold usually requires 3 start ups, 1st time it starts
up and shuts down, 2nd time it will run but rpms must kept pretty high and
will shutdown if the accelerator is not pressed. This is a new symptom.
        The person at the electrical/injection shop says if i can find
another computer and try switching them to se if it fixes the
shutdowns/burps. He was as perplexed as I have been with troubling shooting
this problem. He said the few times it shut down the seem to be higher
pulsing in the injector, he thought the computer was getting a signal
indicating a high heat operating condition( higher than it actually was) so
it was pulsing at a higher frequency creating a hard starting situation.
        Lastly this problem has started to affect my relationship with my
sweety so if anybody can help me with some fresh ideas to fix my van, my
sweety and would really appreciate it.
thanks-- Rudy B. Santa Rosa, CA