Yeah, what David said.

With the Oxygen sensor unplugged it should run on the rich side of
stoichiometric, giving plenty of power and ~10% less MPG.  If its running
like crap unplugged, there are other problems extant.

On Sun, Aug 3, 2008 at 4:07 PM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:

> At 03:40 PM 8/3/2008 -0700, Mike Elliott wrote:
>
>> But the good thing is: now I know what a Vanagon runs like when the O2
>> sensor is disconnected. Not very well at all. Nossir, it's pretty, pretty
>> poor.
>>
>
> BINGO!
>
> A Vanagon *in proper working order* runs just great without the O2
> sensor.  That's why the first thing you do in troubleshooting is
> unhook the bloody thing!  The sensor is there because the CAT needs a
> very specific mixture to operate properly.  In Europe the WBX had no
> sensor (and US-spec vehicles delivered in Europe, like mine, had a
> straight pipe instead of a CAT -- the CAT would be supplied and
> installed by VW when the vehicle came to the states).
>
> Now it's just possible that when you unhooked the sensor and left the
> circuit with a long antenna hooked up, that it went nuts instead of
> going open-loop.  That would be good news, cause otherwise you've got
> a big mixture problem.
>
> David
>
>
> --
> David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
> '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation"
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
Crescent Beach, BC
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27