Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (April 1999, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 13 Apr 1999 14:23:37 -0700
Reply-To:     Preston Lewis <yip@CALWEB.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Preston Lewis <yip@CALWEB.COM>
Subject:      84 Vanagon 1.9 pulsing idle
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Dear Marcus,

My '84 GL did the same thing as yours. I fixed mine by disconnecting a wire on a metal contact switch located just behind and to the right of the throttle on top of the engine. You could also lower the RPM of your engine to fix this, but many older vans need higher RPMs to keep the engine cool.

In the factory repair manual, the contact switch is called a "throttle valve switch." If you have a factory repair manual, turn to page 24.33 and look at the picture. The manual says the switch "supplies control unit with information that throttle valve is closed. If engine is running 1500 RPM with the throttle closed, fuel will be shut off to the injectors."

What's happening is that when you let off the gas, the throttle switch closes. Your rpm is over 1500 so the control unit shuts off gas to the fuel injection system. As rpm's fall below 1500, fuel is again sent to the injectors. This on/off of gas to the injectors is what makes your engine pulse.

The switch has two wires that plug into the back end of it. I disconnected one of the wires and my engine now runs smoothly. Warning, there is another switch nearby called the "full throttle enrichment switch" which, according to the manual, "supplies the control unit with information to increase amount of fuel injected at full throttle." See page 24.34 of the factory manual, top left.

If you don't have a manual, first find the throttle on your engine (the gas pedal cable connects to it so it moves when you press the gas pedal). Look just to the right and behind the throttle. The switch you want to disconnect is on top, and the wires plug in on the rear of the switch (the side closest to the front of the van). The switch you don't want to disconnect is underneath and closer to the rear of the van.

Best of luck to you. Any questions, feel free to write me.

Preston Lewis '84 Vanagon GL


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.