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Date:         Tue, 19 May 1998 22:54:46 -0700
Reply-To:     Bruce Ralphs <bar@ISLANDNET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Bruce Ralphs <bar@ISLANDNET.COM>
Subject:      Am I Crazy, Sane or Dreaming? re: Surging
Comments: To: Tim Smith <smitht@unb.ca>,
          Vanagon Listserve <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>,
          The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hi all, a couple of weeks ago I posted the following message regarding my '85 surging or more appropriately, dropping. Those who may have ideas on this please read on. I am grateful to all for your support and ideas. My original post was as follows:

> I've got a surging problem that's developed in the last couple of days > with my '85 Westy. Just at idle and only when warm it will surge, > actually more appropriately drop rpm and stall. Not a real problem > accept that it's always when you're coming to a stop or stopped and it > sounds and looks like the motor is ripping out of it mounts. It's an > automatic. > > A mechanic has started initial investigation and is looking at replacing > the air flow sensor to a tune of about $500 Canadian! This is alot more > than I was hoping it would be, you know, bad gas, faulty timing, > disconnected hose, etc...all of which are around $50!!!

A few responded with difinitive ideas, mostly on the o2 sensor and idle stabilizer. I took these suggestions to my, that, mechanic and he said he had done all tehse tests as well as had replaced some of the grounds. He still believed it was the air-flow sensor. We ordered it, but maybe thankfully, he got the wrong one so I'm still waiting.

The van seemed to improve and I got hopeful but last night started the problem again. (I've also gone through three different tanks of gas) Tonight it stalled repeatedly when I slowed for lights and did it's routine violently. I decided I'd have a look....

When I rec'd the van from my mechanic I thought it seemed sluggish. I've also been getting about 14mpg since then too, that's 12mpg for you American folk! I noticed the o2 lead was disconnected at the connector by the coil. I'm assuming it's the o2 as it has a single wire that plugs into a sensor on the exhaust just before the cat. I also thought I'd disconnect the two leads running into the idle stab (square mounted on drivers side of engine bay just ahead of coil that has male-female, 3-prong with alignment tooth connectors, #251-906-083 followed by 12V, 371 281 380) and join them bypassing the idle stab as Tim Smith suggested (thanks Tim). Discouragingly I noticed that the connectors were still coverted in dirt/grease lending me to believe that my mechanic had not done this test (he said he had) as after I'd finally disconnected them they were quite clean simply by handling them.

I then thought I pull the front plug, driver's side just to check. Threw the socket on and it turned losely!!! Took it out and the washer on the plug had corrosion on it...I don't think that plug was tight! They are Bosch Super RO 662. It had a "rusty-coloured" appearance and a bit of black around the anode or whatever. I don't think it loooked bad.

I took the van out for an extended spin, 15min high speed. No stalling, not even dropping close to stall point. It simply hunts slightly around 6-800 rpm. I also noticed my performance (ha-ha) was back to normal. I have left the idle stab off and will be using the van tomorrow, any probs in this?

Am I making sense...am I onto something or am I nuts? Your comments I look forward to. TIA Bruce

----------------------------------------------------------

Bruce Ralphs, Victoria, BC '85 Westy, auto, 142K 250-727-7617 '91 Passat, 95K 250-727-7685 fax '83 GTI, 256K


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