Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 18:17:40 -0500
Reply-To: Joshua Van Tol <jjvantol@USWEST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joshua Van Tol <jjvantol@USWEST.NET>
Subject: Re: The Dying 86 Vanagon
In-Reply-To: <3714CA0F.9558D9FD@lamar.colostate.edu>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
>
>Well, that's the history folks. Anyone have any new insights? I
>appreciate all of the previous advice. I'm now several hundred dollars
>into this fix, and have vowed to follow this through to the bitter end.
>Don't want to spend my whole retirement though.
When the engine dies, do the injector pulses die too? How about the ignition?
The way to find out is to hook a high impedance test light in parallel with
the injectors. You could make one yourself with an LED and a resistor, or
you can buy one at the auto parts store. Or, you can use a regular bulb
one, just be sure it has a very low watt bulb. So, driving along, test
light hooked up, you should see a dim flickering from the light. Then, when
the engine dies, does the light go out? If so, think ECU, and ECU wiring.
If not, look elsewhere. A similar test may be done on the ignition system.
If your mechanic didn't think to try something like this, then he doesn't
have what it takes to be an effective FI diagnostician. Find someone
smarter.
Joshua Van Tol -- jjvantol@uswest.net
[text/enriched]
<excerpt>
Well, that's the history folks. Anyone have any new insights? I
appreciate all of the previous advice. I'm now several hundred dollars
into this fix, and have vowed to follow this through to the bitter
end. Don't want to spend my whole retirement though.
</excerpt>
When the engine dies, do the injector pulses die too? How about the
ignition?
The way to find out is to hook a high impedance test light in parallel
with the injectors. You could make one yourself with an LED and a
resistor, or you can buy one at the auto parts store. Or, you can use a
regular bulb one, just be sure it has a very low watt bulb. So, driving
along, test light hooked up, you should see a dim flickering from the
light. Then, when the engine dies, does the light go out? If so, think
ECU, and ECU wiring. If not, look elsewhere. A similar test may be done
on the ignition system.
If your mechanic didn't think to try something like this, then he
doesn't have what it takes to be an effective FI diagnostician. Find
someone smarter.
Joshua Van Tol -- jjvantol@uswest.net
| 
