Thanks, It is nice to know if the person giving advice is skilled or just
some fly-by-night. I will take this advice and get a new O2 sensor today, is
there a test to perform on the old one? and can I by this at NAPA or do I
need to go straight to the dealer? Bosch?. At work is the last place I want
to be stranded, especially on a friday.

Darren

-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Walters [mailto:sam.cooks@verizon.net]
Sent: Friday, October 08, 2004 10:39 AM
To: Darren Lastfogel
Subject: Re: digijet FI adjustments

Darren,

I understand that the PO's previous work could complicate matters, but,
in case you don't know, Dennis Haynes is a professional mechanic and one
of the two or three most knowledgeable members of the list.  In the last
two weeks, we have had several people with similar operational problems
who did all sorts of other parts replacements to their vans only to come
back and find out that it was either the Temp II sensor and / or the O2
sensor or the wiring for one or both of these parts.  This has also
happened many times in the past.

This is a common situation, particularly when people take their vans to
less than fully informed mechanics - even some who claim to be
specialists for VW and Vanagons.  Many folks don't check the most
likely, easiest to diagnose, and cheapest solutions first.  Very often
people discover it is something simple in the FI system after many hours
of work and $$ spent on the wrong parts.

Read the posts about Joy Hecht's van's problems, for example - just a
few days ago.   It might not be the Temp II and/or  O2 sensors, but
don't make it harder than it has to be.  Rule these out first, since
their malfunctioning almost perfectly mimics your symptoms.  And check
the wiring, not just the parts.  As with his reply to you, Dennis always
reminds people to do this.  Many times on this list, after hours of work
and $$ spent, people also discover a simple wiring problem or dirty
ground is the culprit.

My 85's PO did not get a Cat when a rebuilt engine was installed.  This
doesn't impact the basic operation of the FI system on the digijet as
the O2 sensor is before the Cat.

Sam

--
Sam Walters
Baltimore, MD

89 Syncro GL
85 Westy Weekender
84 Vanagon, original owner, soon to be retired, just too many problems

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