Date:         Thu, 19 Jun 1997 09:24:00 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         kelphoto@bright.net (mark keller)
Subject:      Re: Aftermarket Cruise questions . . .

Well,

This is one of my very favorite devices in the whole vehicular world, so
I'll try to hep.

Dana corporation makes a lot of these "adapatable" units so my first guess
is them, maybe a web site.

As to the problems, I've experiened them on my Dana unit.

#1. The surging is an adjustment that is done by locating the two
potentiometers on the side of the "box" My box was a funky blue thing about
the size of a small paperback.  The "pots" are used to trim the units
sensitivity to your engines horspower.  Ie; a big motor in a small car is
going to need a light throttle touch, and the Bus will need a bunch. Play
with the pots while on cruise, one is  a low speed and the other is high
speed, this is kinda fuzzy in my memory, as to the exact squence of events
needed to get a smoother control.


On the Cutting off erratically two problems are possible. Since the switch
on the brake pedal uses a vacuum dump and an electrical ground break to
disengaged the system, your problem maybe one or both. Read on.

#2  The system uses vaccum to actually pull the throttle open.  BTW I
planning to write a major article about Vanagons, and vacuum, for tuning,
troubleshooting, and engine longivity. Anyway, my feeling is that when the
unit trys to hold a speed setting the engine throttle is advanced to a
point where the engine no longer has sufficent vacuum to hold the thottle
diaphram open.  A varient on this is the diaphramor a hose may have a leak
, so that low vacuum exacerbates the problem of insuffcient vacuum.  The
fix for me was to install a vacuum tank into the loop.

#3 The electrical angle is probaly that the unit is wired into the harness
at an inappropiate point.  Check and if necessary Reroute the power and
ground sources to the fuse panel and a establisted ground point, one is
beneath the shifter/dash area.

 >My newly purchased '91 Westy has an aftermarket cruise that 'works' in
>strange ways. As there is no 'brand' name on it and no instructions for
>it I am seeking assistance from anyone who may have any clues. The local
>aftermarket shops here simply say "we didn't sell it, you have no infor
>on it, it's not worth our time to fix it." They will replace it for $400 or
>so. That's more than its worth to me.
>
>Curise controls 'look' like the standard ones that were on my last '91 - I
>guess all are about the same. But it works like this:
>
>>From 35-55 mph you can set it and it will hold/work.
>
>Above 55 mph it surges, up and down, and then cuts out. Sometimes it just
>cuts out! But it will not hold at all?
>
>When it is working, if you
>1) blow the horn
>2) put on the turn signal
>3) dim or raise the headlights
>and probably other things I haven't found yet! It cuts out - as though you
>had tapped the brake.
>
>An it will not always reset?
>
>Any and all thoughts on this are welcome. It is mounted on the steering
>column (2 screws) and the cable then goes into the steering column cover.
>I will have to remove the cover to trace the wire.
>
>Thankx-
>        Kenyon
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