On Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 1:34 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> my thoughts.......
> ( other than the huge step forward a subaru engine is )
> is that if a little corrosion on the distributor cap was making it run
> poorly .......
> then that copuld inidicate something tired downstream.
> like ancient plug wires, and large spark plug gaps.

>
> All New... Even O2 & Cat...
>

>
>
> not to sound too cavilier ......but I almost don't even check in bosch
> distributor caps on waterboxer engines anymore.
> I mean I will just to make sure it looks half decent......
> about like you need to make sure there's enough oil in an engine ....
> but 'in practice' .............I never find them to be weak at all.   So
> 'usually' that's not the reason or source of a problem,
> though obviously tired things need to be replaced or service when they need
> it.
>
> scott
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "jonathan waters" <
> shponglevan@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 6:14 AM
> Subject: Re: temp sensors?
>
>
> Thanks Everyone!
>>
>> I was just assuming it was aluminum?
>> There was a very thin hard / brittle coating on the
>> inside dia of the distributor contact points
>> where the rotor contacts the cap.
>>
>> Once I carefully scraped that off it ran fine.
>>
>> Now I do still have an overly fast idle to contend with.
>> It is a syncro, so I will try to locate the temp sensors first.
>>
>> then move on to the tps sensor.
>> I did notice that when I unplugged it
>> and sprayed a little wd40 on it
>> the idle went down to 1K
>> So, I thought it was probably just a bad connection.
>>
>> But soon went back up.
>> May the computer was adjusting?
>> And yes Scott, I agree!
>> A Subbie is in the near future !
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 5:41 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
>> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>>
>> is it  a Bosch cap ?
>>> I recall noiticing aluminum terminals in non-bosch el cheapo distributor
>>> caps,
>>> which have no purpose on a vanagon.
>>>
>>> I find that a real Bosch cap and rotor will last nearly indeffenitley
>>> ........or 'amost indefenitely'.
>>>
>>> 20 / 30 years ago, I'd fuss over the elctrodes in caps, cleaning them
>>> carefully etc.....
>>> but those cars had very weak points and coil igntion. ........they needed
>>> all the help they could get.
>>>
>>> the igntion systems in vanagons is very strong .......
>>> like they 'seem' like they are 5 times more powerful than igntion systems
>>> of
>>> yore - like points type non-electronic.
>>>
>>> So I find myself not even worrying about distrubotor caps on vanagons
>>> much
>>> at all.......
>>> as long as they are the right bosch type.
>>> I worry about spark plug wires more than I worry about bosch distributor
>>> caps on vanagons. I must have 10 good used ones.....
>>> and really......they barely wear ..............at least the ones I see. I
>>> don't think I've ever even seen a Bosch distributor cap on a vanagon
>>> engine
>>> fail in any way.
>>> I would say ........
>>> that if everything else is working as it should.........goed plugs, good
>>> wires, good coil, engine running right etc.....
>>> a Bosch distributor cap on a vanagon that's 3 years old.............is
>>> still
>>> just fine. Like they'll do 40 to 60,000 miles even.
>>>
>>> but I see an el cheapo on a vanagon .....I take it right off and save it
>>> for
>>> an emergency spare, or something like that, and get a proper bosch
>>> distributor cap and rotor.   Those are the only proper caps and rotors on
>>> vanagons as far as I'm concerned, and boy to they last well.  And no
>>> complaints at all about quality.
>>> I'd say they are 'perfect' in every way.
>>> ( expect for even being there in the first place............Move up to a
>>> soobie engine and you won't be messing with any distributor cap & rotor
>>> .........'cause there isn't one on those engines, most 'more-high-techly'
>>> .
>>> Scott
>>> www.turbovans.com
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Larry Alofs" <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
>>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 5:22 AM
>>> Subject: Re: temp sensors?
>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you gentlemen.  Learn something every day.
>>>  I didn't realize that it was on the inside of the cap.
>>>
>>> Larry A.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 10:09 PM, Tom Hargrave<thargrav@hiwaay.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> He probably knows, it will be a very fine grey powder. It's usually from
>>>> the
>>>> electrodes inside the cap & excess arcing can spray the stuff all over
>>>> the
>>>> inside of the cap. I like the old caps with the copper electrodes -
>>>> copper
>>>> oxide is not conductive.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Tom Hargrave
>>>> Our Web Sites:
>>>> www.kegkits.com
>>>> http://www.kegkits.com/JABF/
>>>> www.stir-plate.com
>>>> www.andyshotsauce.com
>>>> 256-656-1924
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
>>>> Of
>>>> Larry Alofs
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 9:16 PM
>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>> Subject: Re: temp sensors?
>>>>
>>>> How do you know it was aluminum oxide and where do you think it came
>>>> from?
>>>>
>>>> Larry A.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 6:17 PM, jonathan waters<shponglevan@gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Thanks Everyone!
>>>>>
>>>>> I found aluminum oxide coating on the distributor cap,
>>>>> that was stopping the bus from running well
>>>>> especially at lower rpm's.
>>>>> ( and, surprisingly, to me, the cap isnt even 4K old? )
>>>>>
>>>>> And that got me back on the road
>>>>> to Canada and eventually home.
>>>>> (and Internet access as well)
>>>>>
>>>>> But, I am still having problems with High RPM's
>>>>> running about 2K instead of 1.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm guessing tps too.
>>>>>
>>>>> This is a syncro I guess I should have added.
>>>>> Does this affect the location of the temp sensors?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks again,
>>>>> Jonathan
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Jul 4, 2009 at 6:48 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
>>>>> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> adjustment of the throttle switch pops to mind.
>>>>>
>>>>>> those get off ......I find them out of adjustment 'usually' even.
>>>>>> I find some worn enough that you can't adjust it to spec, without
>>>>>> lengthening a slot an adjustment screw slides in.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Timing is probably right ....but always important to consider that
>>>>>> one.
>>>>>> oxygen sensor ?
>>>>>> does it run strongly cold, but less so warm ?
>>>>>> what's the status of the fuel filter ?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> fwiw..........sure, I find tired tune up parts, and cheap tune up
>>>>>> parts
>>>>>> ........
>>>>>> and replace those of course ........but I never find 'poor running' is
>>>>>> really due to 'tune up parts' ..........not unless there's a bad plug
>>>>>>
>>>>>> wire
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> say , or fouled or very tired spark plug .......my point is ........
>>>>>
>>>>>> yes, tune up parts have to be decent and to spec, and adjusted right
>>>>>> .......
>>>>>> but when they don't run right ..........it's usually things other than
>>>>>>
>>>>>> tune
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> up parts ..but they do have to be right of course as well.
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Air flow meter ?
>>>>>> the only symptom I get on those is uneven running .......like weak
>>>>>> spots
>>>>>>
>>>>>> in
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> the acceleration curve . I consider them a weak link because it's where
>>>>>
>>>>>> electrons interface with something mechanical...........always a weak
>>>>>>
>>>>>> area
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> in my opinion. Next technology up, uses an air mass meter with no moving
>>>>>
>>>>>> parts .......no sweeper arm or anything hokey light that .
>>>>>> vacuum leaks ?
>>>>>> I had one waterboxer engine that ran, started nicely......but just
>>>>>> didn't
>>>>>> rev out well.
>>>>>> You could even tell............open the throttle.......it was getting
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> air, but no fuel to go with it.
>>>>>> I found about a dozen intake air leaks on that engine .......
>>>>>> and that's all it was. It was leaking at the intake runner rubber
>>>>>> boots,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> at
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> the throttle body rubber seal, at the screws that secure the fuel
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> pressure
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> regulator bracket even .......lots of tiny leaks. That's all it was
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> too.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> speaking of ........fuel pressure ..........usually good, but you need
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> always consider or test for that one too.
>>>>>> Scott
>>>>>> www.turbovans.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "jonathan waters" <
>>>>>> shponglevan@GMAIL.COM>
>>>>>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, July 04, 2009 7:08 AM
>>>>>> Subject: temp sensors?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have a 2.1, and it started to run kind of funny?
>>>>>>> It starts good, and has been running real good.
>>>>>>> until now that is!
>>>>>>> I have given it a real good tune up.
>>>>>>> Even a new cat.
>>>>>>> but what I am experiencing now,
>>>>>>> after just driving 800 miles,
>>>>>>> is a lack of power on starting to drive?
>>>>>>> I have to rev it up to get it to have any Ump!
>>>>>>> I am wondering if it may be a temp sensor?
>>>>>>> Is there 2 of them?
>>>>>>> And where are they located?
>>>>>>> Any help from you guys would be much appreciated!
>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>> jon
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>