Actually I just changed my O2 Sensor last month on Joel Walkers
Recommendation .. So I didn't think it was the problem. I just had my
exhaust changed and was thinking of him saying he had a hard time removing
my o2 sensor.. So Possibly it was damaged in the deal. yesterday on the way
home I unplugged the 2 wires but forgot and left the green wire plugged in
yesterday so today I tried again and unplugged all three wires it seems to
be working, thanks for having me review what I had done... Well at least it
hasn't done it since..

/athacker

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Evan Mac Donald
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 7:47 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Black Smoke and Poor Performance Intermitent

Adam -
  My '85 did the same thing. Intermittent failures / faults will drive you
nuts! But my solution ended up being the good ole O2 sensor. I later had a
slightly different rough running / poor milage problem that I tried
EVERYTHING to fix - new distributor, cap, wires, rotor, plugs, brain, temp
sensor II, and could not get it to go away. It turned out to be the ignition
module. After I replaced that, my idle was steady and smooth, and my milage
is now on the high side of 17 MPG. I did not consider the the module as the
failure point, because I thought that the module was one of those "works /
stops working" failure items. It was not. The '87 does not have the same
igition set-up as the '85, but there are components that do the same jobs...

Adam Thacker <87westy@THACKER.CA> wrote:
1987 Vanagon GL
I am having the exact same problem as the person below but when I tried his
email address it bounced on me if anyone has any Ideas of why this is
happening to me or who Knows Neal Helfman's New Email address I would
appreciate a reply. Like I say I am having the exact same problem as him I
just have not replaced all the parts he did.

Original post here.
http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind9607&L=vanagon&P=R28890&m=2570
7

Subject: Help:87 syncro running bad

I am the consequential owner of a 1987 Vanogon Syncro. I need help with an
electrical/ignition problem that won't go away for more than three months at
a time. My van acts like there is water in the fuel and runs very rich and
coughs black smoke. Power loss is evident and the idle is very rough. Every
once in a while it runs wonderfully as if a mechanic were standing right
there. Other times the power loss episodes are erratic and random. When it
is acting up pressing the accellerator to the floor clears it up with a jolt
of power and accelleration... let up on the gas and it starts jerking and
coughing again. It has new heads; alternator; waterpump; CPU; plugs; wires;
cap/rotor; air filter; etc.... Help me!!!! My name is Neal Helfman and my
e-mail address is; NHelfman@aol.com If you know of anyone who specializes in
Vanogon electronic fuel injection please give them my name!!!! I have $$$$$
to spend for the correct diagnosis!!! Thankyou r

Thank you
Adam Thacker
1987 Vanagon GL