FWIW, I don't have my o2 sensor hooked up and I do not have any cold
running or acceleration problems.  However, hooking this will be my next
project just to see what happens w/ MPG, idle, etc...Or should I follow "if
it aint broke don't fix it?"

Derek

> James ,
>                Did your mechanic wire the O2 sensor into the ECU
>                connector?
> If not that would explain the cold running problem. Go to The Tiico
> owners site and follow the directions. The O2 sensor helps to enrich at
> cold  temps and allows clean acceleration almost immediately upon
> starting.
> Good luck
> Tom Czerniak
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan Winget" <WESTYTRAVER@CS.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2002 2:45 PM
> Subject: Re: TiiCo Conversion Engine
>
>
>> JAMES,
>>
>> Sounds like your mechanic DID NOT SET UP THE COMPUTER.  you must set
>> the
> computer with the vag 1551 or use a vag com.  that will take care of
> the rough running.  as for the loudness and vibration I will not
> comment on that as my motor is smooth and quiet but I have heard
> different stories.
>> this motor and ecu must be set with a computer to run properly.
>>
>> Dan
>>
>> James Adams <
>>
>> >Hello,
>> >
>> >I have recently had a TiiCo engine put into my 1990
>> >Vanagon GL and I am not very pleased with it,
>> >especially considering what I paid for it.  So I
>> >thought that I should run a few of my impressions past
>> >the expert readers of this list to see whether I am
>> >justified in my disappointment or if perhaps I was
>> >just expecting too much.
>> >
>> >Let me enumerate my complaints below - any feedback on
>> >these will be very appreciated.
>> >
>> >
>> >1) The engine coughs and sputters if I crank it and
>> >drive it right away.  In order to avoid this it needs
>> >top be cranked and left running at idle for about 15
>> >minutes.  Otherwise it will drive very poorly (in
>> >first and second gear mainly) for about 10 miles.
>> >Especially in first and second gear it behaves as if
>> >there is some sort of problem with getting gas or air
>> >to the engine (coughing, I'll call it) until it hits
>> >about 3000 RPMs at which point it races and seems to
>> >be getting too much juice.  I was under the impression
>> >that a modern, and in this case brand new, engine
>> >wouldn't require any significant warm up time.  I
>> >realize that it is always a good idea to let the
>> >engine warm up no matter how new or modern it is, but
>> >the fact is that I'm a typical American and I don't
>> >"take my time" as often as I should.  Typically I want
>> >to crank the engine and drive away.  One reason I went
>> >with the TiiCo engine is because it would be a brand
>> >new, modern engine which I assumed (incorrectly,
>> >obviously) would not require much if any warm up
>> >before driving it.  I based this assumption on the
>> >fact that other modern cars, such as my brother's 2001
>> >Jetta, don't require much, if any, warm up, even in
>> >the winter time.
>> >
>> >2) My engine is loud and vibrates *MUCH* more than my
>> >previous Vanagon 2.1L engine (rebuilt once).  Is this
>> >just the nature of this engine ?  I feel like I'm now
>> >driving a hot-rod and this is not at all what I am
>> >used to nor what I wanted.  I must gun the engine in
>> >1st and 2nd gears and need to drive this engine much
>> >more like a race car, which I'm not accustomed to.
>> >With my old engine I didn't have to "race" the engine
>> >to get normal acceleration, but with this one I do.
>> >When I found out that the TiiCo engine is the same one
>> >that is used in new South African Golfs and Jettas I
>> >went to the VW dealer to test drive these vehicles and
>> >they were dreamy.  No warm up required before driving
>> >it, smooth progression through the gears (no feeling
>> >of driving a race car, having to gun the engine, etc).
>> > Of course I probably shouldn't have expected that my
>> >new engine would feel as smooth and quiet as these new
>> >US VW vehicles, but I certainly didn't expect that
>> >this new, *EXPENSIVE* engine would be as rough, loud
>> >and vibrating as it is.  My previous engine was smooth
>> >and quiet, and I expected that a brand new, very
>> >expensive engine would be approximately the same in
>> >this respect.
>> >
>> >3) The engine has some knocking when going from 1st to
>> >2nd and again from 2nd to 3rd gears.  This is a very
>> >"light" knocking which isn't always noticeable, but
>> >when I'm driving between buildings or other places
>> >where I can get a good sound reflection I can hear it.
>> > Passengers in my van have commented on this as well,
>> >without prompting them, so I'm sure that this isn't
>> >just in my head.  Add this to the fact that I get
>> >significant vibration at about 3000 RPMs and you may
>> >understand why I feel like something's not all right
>> >with the engine.
>> >
>> >
>> >I have had this engine installed by a very experienced
>> >and, in my opinion, a very competent mechanic so I
>> >don't think that the problems I'm experiencing are a
>> >result of a poor installation job.  But perhaps the
>> >engine can be tuned to smooth out the vibration,
>> >remove the knocking, and improve the performance of
>> >the engine when it's first started or "cold" ?  I
>> >realize that an engine needs a few thousand miles to
>> >"break in" but I am a bit worried that the problems
>> >that I'm experiencing are more serious in nature.
>> >
>> >Any feedback on this will be greatly appreciated.  If
>> >anyone can suggest procedures that I might attempt to
>> >improve the situation then please forward me your
>> >ideas (tune up ?  valve job ?  obviously I'm pretty
>> >clueless about this sort of thing).
>> >
>> >Thanks in advance...
>> >
>> >
>> >-James
>> >
>> >
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