Yep, that was me, I guess. Although I resoundingly reject the "guru" tag (I
prefer "schlemiels on wheels"). Hey folks - we're back on line after nearly
a year-long hiatus. Had to buckle down to business for a while. More "status
report" later. Some of us (from Valley Wagonworks) will be at the SFO meet
for sure - we hope to bring/show off a Porsche 911-powered '81 auto-Westy we
just finished converting for a customer, if we can convince him to get out
of the drivers seat long enough. That'll be a TALL order - unless you've
driven this or a similar combination of equipment you have no IDEA how nice
it can be to drive a van...

I missed the beginning of this thread, but I will be happy to confer with
its author if the problem hasn't been figured out by now. On the face of it,
sounds like several possible culprits: Engine/FI grounds/wiring harness,
temp sensor 2, idle stabilizer/IS control unit, main control unit. We have a
library of known good spare parts we use for testing this stuff for our
customers. We can make some things available to list members on a limited
basis, depending on availability of redundant parts (we can't get stuck
without at least one of something we need regularly) and distance of
transport (if you're in the neighborhood we can always call you up in a
panic if we need something back RIGHT NOW with some hope of getting it).

One thought - strictly seat of the pants: The inner insulation of thick
green shielded cable that connects the main FI harness to the O2 sensor is
known to crack at the point where the braided shielding wire ends, allowing
the shielding wire to short the O2 sensor signal to ground. I'm not sure
(Darrel B.?), 'cause I don't have my Bentley in front of me, but it may be
that something else in the CU shares the same ground - in any case when this
situation obtains all kinds of awful things seem to be happening to your
beleaguered van - and almost all of the things listed in the subject of this
message.

Coby Smolens
Valley Wagonworks
VW Bus and Vanagon Specialists
"Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959"

1535 SF Drake Blvd, San Anselmo, CA 94960
415-457-5628

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Horace K. Sawyer
Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2001 6:55 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: 89 Vanagon engine misfires, coughs, backfires, won't idle

This poor fellow should trailer* it up to the SFO meet and let the gurus
check it over.  Or you may have to leave it with one of the professional
gurus who has a shop out there.  Come on gurus, say you will!

Where is Detlev?  I know there are others too.  There was a pro-guy last
year or so who used to post like crazy about his customer's vans (no
privileged info released) but for the likes of me I can't remember his
name.  Was it Coby Smolens?   I think most of them are near the bay area.

hk

* U-Haul rents great trailers cheap.  They tow wonderfully stable, and are
very safe.  I do not like dollies.  Bad experience.