Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (September 1999, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sun, 26 Sep 1999 11:38:46 -0400
Reply-To:     John <johnpatt@WARWICK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John <johnpatt@WARWICK.NET>
Subject:      Re: 91 westy starts hard and stalls when cold
Comments: To: Michael & Carol Ostrouch <ostrouch@A-ZNET.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Michael & Carol Ostrouch wrote: > > Hi all ya Vanagon experts. > > Our 91 Westy runs great once warmed up. However we have to sit at a > idle until > it warms up to normal temp before we can drive. It starts hard at times > and will stall > if you try to drive before it's warmed up. > > It would seem some temp sensor is sending out the wrong message? > > Does anyone out there have this problem, and better yet the answer to > this problem? > > Thanks in advance > > Michael & Carol Ostrouch of Central New York > 91 Westy > 71 Beetle

Hi folks,

You're right it could be the coolant temp sensor. You can check it with an ohm meter. pull off the sensor plug and check the resistance value of the two pins. When cold it should be >2,000 ohms, when full hot the meter should read ~400 ohms. See the Bentley book for sensor ID and specific temperature - resistance values. If the cold resistance value is off (less resistance) it will create the very symptom you discribe.

Often the coolant sensor gets "shot in the head" when the problem is elsewhere. You could have an unmetered air leak or a O2 sensor malfunction.

To check the O2 sensor unplug the sensor wire with ihe ignition off and then cold start the engine and monitor the symptom. A shorted sensor could cause your symptom (but not likely).

An unmetered air leak will be most noticeable when cold. The lean condition caused by an unmetered air leak will cause poor cold starting & running with very poor acceleration.

The O2 sensor doesn't function below ~300*C (572*F) so the air leak condition is not corrected and the lean running symptom is present. When the O2 sensor warms up to >300*C additonal fuel is provided by the digifant system and the lean condition "goes away". Look for air entering the engine AFTER the air flow meter.

Good luck JP


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.