Hi James

I had hard time to warm up my van after the engine had cooled down with my
old ISCU (I had a defective ISCU for 1 season). It tooks me a while to
figure that the ISCU was defective and not the idle valve (both are
expensive). I got my Westy with a defective ISCU and I tough it was a normal
problem to wait during the warming up process. After I have changed my ISCU,
the van runs a lot better during the warming up process. Your mechanical is
wrong when he says that the Idle stabilizer is useless. It is usefull during
the warming up process, while the A/C is working durin engine idling and
while the power steering is turned at maximum. I have a also 87 Westy. Check
if your idle valve is humming by touching it when the engine is off and  the
ignition key is on. You should feel the vibration from the idle valve. If
not, the ISCU is defective or the idle valve is defective. If the ISCU model
number ends with a B, you should replace it with the D version.

Good luck
Germain.

----- Original Message -----
From: "James Benthall" <Taobythesea@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 5:50 PM
Subject: How long does it take your Vanagon to warm up?

> Hi all,
> I think my 87 Westy is starting to take a lot longer to warm up.  Is  this
a
> sign of
> something bad happening?  I have been told that VW's take longer to  warm
up,
> but five minutes seems excessive to me.  [I recently (two months ago)
> re-plugged
> the idle stabilizer back up, and I am wondering if this could be the
> problem?  My
> mechanic swears it runs better without it, but I can't believe German
> engineers
> would make something that they didn't feel the engine really needed.]
> I am scheduled to take her on a 2800 mile trip next month (Minnesota and
> back)
> so this is coming at a very inoportune time ;-)  Thanks for any  advice.
> James in Houston, Tx.
> 87 Westy (The Phoenix)