Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 13:23:29 -0700
Reply-To: Malcolm Holser <mholser@ADOBE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Malcolm Holser <mholser@ADOBE.COM>
Subject: Re: IDLE STABILIZER ???
In-Reply-To: <199810101713.MAA13738@quicklnk.quicklink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Sigh. There are two basic variants on Vanagon fuel injection, Digijet and
Digifant. In the US, they started Digifant in 1986 with the 2.0 waterboxer.
Prior to this (and afterwards in many markets) the older Digijet was used.
Since the Digifant is basically a Bosch Motronic FI, the engine ignition
timing is all controlled through the ECU -- the distributor is very simple
on these with _no_ advance mechanism. There is no ignition device called
an "idle stabilizer". On Digifant systems, idle is controlled by varying
the amount of air bypassing the throttle valve. This is accomplished by
using a solenoid air-valve which sits on top of the engine towards the rear.
This unit, confusingly, is *also* called an "idle stabilizer". These are
common to Motronic systems. The Vanagon is a little odd in that the
controller
for this is seperate from the ECU and sits in front of the right taillight.
The unit and its controller give troubles commonly -- the unit clogging with
crud and the controller getting internal electronic failures.
So if you have a Digifant system, your idle stabilizer is nothing at all
related
to the thingy with the same name on a Digijet system.
Malcolm
At 09:47 AM 10/10/98 , John H. Rodgers wrote:
>-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --
>
>Thanks for tip.
>
> However, I don't seem to have the green/black box of which you speak. When
>standing at the rear of the van on the driver side, looking forward, there
>is mounted on the left sidewall of the engine compartment the ignition coil.
>On a little shelf directly above that is a black box with two multi-wire
>cables to it. One is connected with a plug.....this plug is on the forward
>side of the box, toward the engine side, and the other comes in on the body
>side but also on the front side of the box and appears to be hardwired in.
>...no plug evident. There two single wires..one comes out of the plugged
>cable and the other from the hard-wired cable. These two are bridged
>together with a connector. On top of this box is a label with two red
>lightening bolts, and words that read Danger - High Voltage!! It also has an
>image of a cylinder valve assembly with spring on it.
>
>The only other black box in the engine compartment is mounted on the drivers
>side of the front firewall, facing to the rear. It has multiple cables going
>into it from the side and bottom.
>
>There are numerous wires on the left side of the engine that are tied
>together by way of connectors.
>
>The Bentley shows the O2 sensor wire be disconnected while setting the idle
>speed. It also shows a single wire disconnect for disconnecting the Idle
>stabilizer as well. And that is the one I can't find.
>
>I am very confused!!!
>
>Hope this gives a better picture of what I am dealing with.
>
>The symptoms are that on cold start up it idles very fast ----1900/2000 rpm.
>Then as it warms up it drops back to 1000/1150 ( still to fast). This is
>from a cold start. However, when driving, and in traffic, stopping and
>starting, at stop lites etc., it never drops below 2000 rpm, even with my
>foot off the gas, just sitting there.
>
>So, I would appreciate whatever addition input you might provide, having
>given more information.
>
>Thanks
>
>John
>
>
>
>
>-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------
>
>Date: Friday, 09-Oct-98 06:02 PM
>
>From: KENWILFY \ America On-Line: (KENWILFY)
>To: Vanagon \ Internet: (vanagon@vanagon.com)
>
>Subject: Re: IDLE STABILIZER ???
>
>The Idle Stabilizer is that little green box that is attached to the
>driver's
>side firewall in the engine compartment and has two round plugs coming from
>the bottom of it. You idle problem may only be that the idle adjustment
>screw
>(that really big slotted screw on your air intake) needs some adjustment.
>However in order to adjust the screw you must unhook the Idle Stabilizer and
>hook the plugs to each other (bypassing the IS). Now you can set your idle
>and then you hook the IS back up after you are done.
>Hope this helps ya.
>Ken Wilford
>Van-Again
>John 3:16
>
>
>-------- REPLY, End of original message --------
>
>
>--
>
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