Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 19:25:00 -0700
Reply-To: Joseph Tu <joe@GREENCASTLE.DYN.ML.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Joseph Tu <joe@GREENCASTLE.DYN.ML.ORG>
Subject: New quirks with my van! PLEASE READ/HELP!
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hello,
Thanks for all the info about my original quirk with my van. Took the
advice and cleaned the electrical connections in my van including, the
connector for the AFM, for each injector, for the idle stabilizer,
cleaned out the idle stabilizer, the throttle enrichment switch, the O2
sensor connector, the Temp sensor connectors. I think my temp sender is
okay. Cleaned out my distributor too (cap, rotor, made sure hall path was
clear.
However, after doing all this and going out for a drive, really weird
stuff started happening. First, the car just died abruptly, totally out
of place. Then after coming to a slow down from say 30mph, the RPM's
would go down, hover at about 800rpm and then she would kaput out. I
pulled off, shut her down and then started her up again. Idles fine, go
to smell the exhaust, it realllllllly stinks. I know what is sposed to
smell like and this ain't it. I don't know what CO smells like, but I
ain't dead do who kows what it is, I think it's jsut excess fuel.
Anyways, I continue to let her idle and it does well for about 2 minutes,
then the Rpms go down, then I see like weird color smoke, dark in color
to come out, then a little white. and then it just kaputs out again. It
wasn't a fast shut down, was more gradual, I say about 15 secs from 800-0
RPms. I start her up again, and again it runs fine. SO, I attempt to
drive home and do so, but with a really rough ride, the engine is surging
and I have zero acceleration! If I floored it, it would speed up, but
other than that, it was realllly rough. Got home and shut her down,
looked in the back, under the lid, all looks good there. Start her up and
same problem, fine, then rough, then okay I get the picture.
This problem is really strange, I thought cleaning the connections would
help my problem, but it semms to have made it worse? Anyways, I
definitely know the source of my problems. I think it's the O2 sensor and
the cat. I only know this because I shut off the engine, disconnected the
O2 sensor wire, the single amp connector, and started her up again. NO
PROBLEMS, the exhaust is still a little smelly, but I think that's
becuase my cat has been wrecked and it ain't working no more.
Acceleration is fine, the idle is a little whacked, but I can drive it to
the local muffler shop, I hope!
I really am pissed about the O2 sensor, I got ripped off, paid $100 bucks
for them to replace it for me, and it wasn't even a bosch O2 sensor, some
aftermarket, cheap thing I guess.
Now time for your guys help, who makes good aftermarket Cats, O2 sensors?
What names to look for? Please email any stuff as soon as you can, I am
going to try and get it fixed tommorrow.
Thanks,
Joe
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