I had a nasty rough idle after doing a bunch of engine work.  I would work
on the Vanagon every weekend for a few months... and as I was putting
everything together, finally, I screwed up and switched the plug wires on
the passenger side (meaning right side USA models) which made a real nasty
"timing problem".

Crazy thing was that the Vanagon did run, but within about 15-20 minutes the
catalytic converter started to glow red... and I turned things off and began
troubleshooting.

Of course, your mechanic is more qualified than to switch the plug wires
like an amateur shade-tree mechanic like me... right?

Good Luck!

RSF

<�)))>{   <�)))>{   <�)))>{   <�)))>{   <�)))>{   <�)))>{

Robert S. Fish
Salzburg, Austria
1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
1987 Golf Cabriolet
1991 Golf

----- Original Message -----
From: "Shane Eddy" <oscar88@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2002 8:51 PM
Subject: Rough Idle after replaced heads/piston rings... 91 Carrat

> I recently had both heads replaced, water pump and rings on my 91 Carrat
> with 130K miles on it.  Before I had the work done, it ran as smooth as
> can be.  I had the work done, because I have a few big trips planned for
> the summer and it was starting to leak anti-freeze pretty signifcantly.
> I got the van back and it doesn't leak anything, but when I first start
> it up in the morning it runs really rough.  It usually stalls for the
> first five minutes or so until it warms up.  Even when warm, it idles
> very rough.  I took it back to the guy who did the work and he agreed
> that it was running rough, but he said it was a result of the auxiliary
> parts being close to warn out (air intake sensor is the only item I
> remember out of about five he mentioned) and with the newly rebuilt
> motor having higher compression and being tighter, it was putting more
> strain on these parts thus causing the rough idle.  Not wanting to be
> confrontational, and because I didn't know if there was any validity to
> this logic, I accepted the story.  I don't have much experience working
> on VWs, but I have rebuilt many a BMW motorcyle motor (R75s, K75s) and
> have never experienced rough idle like this.  The only time I've ever
> noticed a problem similar to this is when I had my timing chain of by a
> link.  No matter what I did to try to get the timing correct, it either
> rough idled or rough road at higher RPMs.  Is it possible that while he
> was doing the head work that the timing chain got messed with?  I'm not
> sure about the architecture of these motors and if he even would have
> had to touch the chain, but I thought I'd throw it out there to see if
> anybody had any thoughts.  Long story short... does this guy know what
> he's talking about or should I have someonelse look at it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> -Shane
>  91 Carrat
>