Date:         Tue, 12 Jan 1999 22:39:01 -0800
Reply-To:     "Mitch A.Miller" <mmiller@NETEZE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Mitch A.Miller" <mmiller@NETEZE.COM>
Organization: Gatorhead guitars
Subject:      Re: FI Mechanic in Southern California?
Comments: To: "Bowie, Mark T" <Mark.Bowie@WEST.BOEING.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Bowie, Mark T wrote:

> Hello-
>
> Can anyone recommend a mechanic in Orange County able to fix the
> notorious
> "intermittent miss, loss-of-power, stumbling" problem? I've been
> tinkering
> with the AFM, CO adjustment, O2 sensor, etc. for months on my '86 to
> try to
> fix this problem without success. I've run all the Bentley tests and
> installed Darrell's digitool, with no success so far. But now I have
> to pass
> a smog test, and I'm concerned that it might not pass. I would like to
> find
> someone knowledgeable who won't just start replacing components
> arbitrarily
> who can get it to pass the test and fix the stumbling problem (and
> hopefully
> get me more than 15 mpg!)
>
> Thanks
>
> MTB

Have you tried the Capacitor fix. This is simple fix for this kind of
problem. All you have to do is connect a 22 mdf 35v capacitor ( Reaido
Shack) to the #2 wire and jump it to the #4 wire on the AMF unit (Note)
from left to right numbers are 1234. #2 gets the pos. #4 gets the neg.
side of the cap. Also run a new ground wire from the case of the AMF to
the motor ground. I had the same problems as you. Bad gas mileage and
loss of power missing. The shop said that this fix only helps if  the
van starts missing only after driving a long trip so in my case it
wouldn't do any good. He wanted to replace every thing he could, Lots of
money. I got the van back with a new dist. used but working. This helped
some; but I steal had a power fluctuation and bad gas mileage. I did the
Cap. mod. and my westy runs as smooth as glass and my gas mileage is
back to normal. Thanks to all those cats on the list that worked this
one out. Also check all your grounds. Any bad contacts and you have
problems.Mitchell Miller 84 Westy 216,506 mi and still ticking , Mobil 1
and filter every 3000