Dave, you need to always say what year you're talking about -- some things
are the same all the way through, some things very different.
At 02:42 PM 5/28/2003, Dave Vieira wrote:
>Hey,
>
>Does anyone know, in the engine compartment on the ..
>left hand side wall its a green box,

Ok, you have a 1.9 litre engine, and that's the Idle Stabilizer circuit.

>is that the
>engine transfer control unit?

No -- but I don't actually understand what you mean by "engine transfer
control unit" -- if you mean the ECU or Engine Control Unit, it's a largish
box mounted just forward of your left-side taillight.

>  and is there a way to
>test it ? ..

Put a timing light on and watch the timing at idle.  If it's constantly
jumping around a few degrees that's the idle stab. doing its job.  Now shut
off, unplug the two wires from the idle stab and plug them into each
other.  Drive it -- if it drives better without than with the circuit
likely has a problem.

>and beside it is a little black box bolted on a plate,
>what would that be and is there a way to test it ?

That's the ignition control unit.  It takes timing information from the
idle stab unit which gets it from the distributor, and it generates the
powerful pulse to the ignition coil secondary that results in a spark from
the primary.  The metal plate is a heat sink to get rid of excess
heat.  I'm sure there's a way to test it but maybe not a simple one.  If
the engine is producing spark then it is probably all right.

david

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"