Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (June 1998, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Mon, 1 Jun 1998 10:23:22 -0400
Reply-To:     William Dummitt <williamd@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         William Dummitt <williamd@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject:      van running rich- running out of ideas to fix
Comments: To: vanagon list <vanagon@vanagon.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

For a couple of months now, I have been trying to troubleshoot an 87 syncro that persists in running rich. It always starts right up, but will die if left idling as the mixture gets richer. It can be driven (sort of) but usually dies at stop lights (always restarts) and has little power-hard to get above 50 mph or so. I've spent many hours on it, so has my local independent vw mechanic (he's not bad, but doesn't see many late-model vanagons). I have a good-running 87 van to swap parts from, but I STILL can't diagnose this problem. When I bought it it wasn't running particularly well, but I was confident that I could fix it. At the time it had the cat converter replaced with a straight pipe, no oxygen sensor. It also had a bad afm. I installed a converter and oxygen sensor and a good

afm ( works fine if I swap it into another van) , but it still runs poorly. Here are the other things I've done:

Checked fuel pressure (30 psi), swapped fpr to be sure. All voltmeter/ohmeter checks at the ecu connector per Bentley OK. Cleaned ecu connections, checked and cleaned all grounds, replaced ground

strap from left head. New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, installed afm harness upgrade. Replaced temp sensor II- checks out OK with ohmeter. Swapped from good-running van: ecu, afm, coil, idle control valve. Emptied contents of converter to make sure it wasn't clogged. None of the above new parts or swaps had any effect on performance. A voltmeter on the oxygen sensor shows predominantly 0.8-0.9 v. with the usual fluctuations, so the sensor is definitely trying to tell the ecu that it is too rich. Disconnecting the oxygen sensor has no effect on the way

it runs that I can discern. I'm starting to be suspicious of the main wiring harness but replacing that on the syncro will be a major job-probably will require dropping the gas tank and tranny.

The engine is not in great health, but I don't think it's bad enough to blame for the poor performance. Compression is 135-135-90-120. Head gaskets had apparently been replaced (but not heads) by a real schlock mechanic-when I got it the ground from ecu to engine was disconnected, and the protective covers over the pushrod tubes were missing.

I've gotten lots of advice from people on the list already, special thanks to Darrell Boehler and Kyle Wade, but I'm still stuck. Any ideas are very much appreciated.

Bill


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.