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Subject:CIS help long
Date:Wed, 15 May 1996 21:15:53 -0500

>Hi Volks,
    Its me again,  more damn CIS problems with my Vanagon.
>  I need some help with my 83 GTI Motor that is installed in my '82
>Westfalia.  For a while I have had some runnning problems that I thought I
>had solved with the installation of an O2 sensor. I'll recap what I have
>done.
>   Last winter my van started to run poorly, no power, skipping and high
>fuel comsumption.  I started checking and replaceing things I found wrong,
>fuel filter, pump, warm-up/ control regulator, thermo- time switch and aux
>air regulator. I also did a complete tune up, wires, plugs, cap, and
>rotor.  I set the timming at about 10 degrees advance.  When I finally had
>enough, someonetold me that the O2 sensor is very important and I should
>have hooked it up from the begining.  Well, I finally did and everything
>has been fine, till now.
>    Here's the problem, over the last few days the van has been running
>weird on and off.  It has been starting hard warm and cold and when cold
>acts just like it did last winter. No power and skipps. When I give the
>engine full throttle it bucks and loses power, if I let off the throttle
>just a little, it takes right off.
>      So I did some tests on the control box and fuel presure regulator. I
>was hoping someone could tell me if these readings are normal, and is my
>control box working right. The Bentley manual give me a rough idea but I
>want to be sure.  Here goes.
>
>Test 1:  Engine off.  Pump running. Warm up regulator power disconected,
>Outside temp 55 dgr engine not run in 4 hours.
>     I used a dwell meter to get the dwell reading.
>
>    Begining Dwell reading 48 degrees   pump control pressure 12lb.  full
>pressure (turned valve on gauge) 68lb
>     Activate full throttle switch, Dwell reading 60 dgr.  Activate
>thermoswitch: dwell reading 72 dgr.   Ground out green O2 wire dwell
>reading 86. Hook up flashlight battery to green wire:  dwell reading 16
>dgr.   How does this sound so far.
>
>Test 2:  Engine running.
>
>        Fuel control pressure at 12lb slowly rises to 50lb in about 10 minu=
tes.
>        Dwell reading 48 dgr quickly drops to 14 dgr and then bounces and
>slowly rises to 86 dgr.  THe whole time the dwell meter flucuates about 10
>dgr  back and forth while rising.  Reaches 86=BA reading and stays there.
>Rev engine and dwell drops to about 60 dgr and flucuates.  Engine idles
>and I active the full thottle switch dwell drops to 60 dgr engine runs
>poor.  Activate thermoswitch dwell drops to 72 dgr and same engine poor.
>THe whole time I run this test I can hear the fequency valve buzzing.  It
>changes pitch when the dwell changes. I drove the van around and the
>dwell, most of the time was around 86 dgr.  It would drop to around 60 dgr
>at higher RPMs but the whole time I could feel the engine skipp and was
>powerless.
>       My biggest question is:  Is the dwell suppsed to be 86 dgr At idle?
>Am I running the engine to lean and the FI is trying to compensate?  Or
>vis versa? Last week I had the state inspection done.  The emission
>reading were:  HC 25ppm, CO .25, and the C02 was 13%.  Well within Mass
>limits.  I've checked every vacume hose and the intake hose.  Everything
>seems in order.
>    I have been getting 20MPG at 70 MPH. I also checked the fuel injectors
>and the have anice spray pattern and don't leak. Same is true of the cold
>start valve.  Tested the hot pulse start relay, it seem to be working like
>the book says. The Thermo- time switch also seems to be operating with
>normal parameters.  Does anyone have any ideas as what my problem might
>be?  I double checked all the connections and wiring.
>   The only other thing that comes to mind is the exhaust.  It only has on
>1 1/2 opening at the manifold.  Do you think that it might be restrictive?
>Could cause the engine to load up at start up or when cold because of too
>much back pressure?   Well thats my story I hope someone can help.  I'm
>just about ready to put a brick on the throttle pedal and ride the bus. I
>don't think my wife would like that though.  Did I mention I have about
>150lb compression per cylinder.
>Please help!   Thanks in advance.  Take care.

                        -Keep on Busin' Jim Digennaro
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--
James Digennaro        The Late Model Bus Organization,International
Treasurer & Merchandise Sales , Official  On-line Represenative.
20 First St
Adams, MA. 01220                  82 Westfalia  'GTI'   (maybe for sale)

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