Hi Mordo,

I think it's new throttle cable and rear conduit time. I had this problem
with a '91 Carat automatic, and the cause was moisture getting in the rear
cable sheath, rusting both the cable and the inner sheath. In my case, the
rubber sealing hose between the white plastic throttle cable tube and the
forward end of the black flexible throttle cable conduit (under the van,
just ahead of the transmission; the cable conduit forward end is bolted to a
frame crossmember) had shrunk and slipped off the forward end, allowing
water in, rusting as above.

I tried all kinds of different lubes, but I ultimately found that the rusted
cable had torn up the plastic liner inside the rear cable conduit, and this
was causing the cable to hang up. Replacing the cable won't alter the basic
idling speed, but it will prevent it from hanging up.

Good luck,

Dave Milo

On 12/30/06, mordo <helmut.blong@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I have a not-so-much-annoying-but still puzzling issue with my 90 Carat,
> 2.1l wbx with AT:
>
> It generally idles a bit high - at about 1000rpm. I haven't gotten around
> to
> adjusting it down. But, when I put the trans in neutral or in park, the
> engine is turning at about1600-1700 rpm. If I tap the accelerator pedal,
> it
> will drop back down to its typical 1k rpm idle. When I come to a stop at a
> light or stop sign, the engine pushes hard against the brake and the idle
> holds at about 1100 rpm.
>
> The pedal requires above-average pressure to hold speed while highway
> cruising but does not otherwise seem unreasonably stiff for a linkage that
> runs such a long distance. I've never driven another Vanagon enough to
> know
> what normal feels like.
>
> Engine idles and runs well, good acceleration, easy cold start, easy hot
> start.
>
> So, do we think the problem lies with the mechanical linkage anywhere from
> pedal to throttle body or do we think vacuum-related or do we think
> something else entirely?
>
> --
> mordo
> 1990 Carat
>