Interesting!

I have experience in many occasions over the years with the tech stuck
at 0, but never with the engine cuts out or stumbles.

In my case the tech will stuck at zero while everything in the
instrument panel functions normally. It only sustain for a block or so
and after than the tech works find the entire drive.

It seems the electro-mechanical gauge has to overcome some mechnical
resistance in the bearing. Low RPM at idle does not pass enough current
through the gauge to overcome this until the engine is rev'ed up after
awhile.

- Vince

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of tabe johnson
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 9:11 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Pseudo-Vanagon Syndrome?

So I've been having the odd lurch where the engine cuts out for less
than a second.  Seems to happen any time.  Engine temperature, speed,
throttle opening, ambient temp are not important.  Today, it got a lot
worse-- it happened maybe 15 times in a 45 minute drive, and one very
interesting thing I noticed is that every time it happened the tach
dropped to zero momentarily, then when the engine started to fire again
the tach would go back where it belonged.  So obviously an electrical
problem.  I cleaned the main relay, bent the pins on the computer a bit,
and cleaned the ground for the computer, on the left cylinder head, and
on the left side of the engine bay.  It's now behaving well, but it
could recur...

Anyone have anything else I should do or look for to troubleshoot or
repair?

Thanks!

--tabe johnson
xtabe@yahoo.com
1987 Westy
Vancouver, BC

______________________________________________________________________
Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca