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Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:55 pm

Hello Everyone,

it's been a while since I've been on and here is my dilema.(please excuse my writing I'm not the best at Grammar)

This all started many moons ago when I did not pass DEQ. My Vanagon had been running fairly poor at start up and was getting horible millage (about 15 mpg). I new something was amiss with my vanagon but I decided to see if I could pass DEQ any way. not even close, so then I began with the trouble shooting steps starting with the cheapest. I ended up replacing the temp 2, OXS, the Cat, Airfilter, and Fuel Filter. it still was giving crazy readings for CO and HC. so my mechanic sugests that my AFM is outawhack. so he puts a loaner AFM on and makes necesary adjustments so the CO and HC's are in check. he says it's good to go.
On my way to DEQ it starts sputering and running even worse than before, blowing black smoke and cutting out at stops. this baby ain't gonna pass DEQ like this. so I call my mechanic and he is absolutley shocked. he told me to bring it back in. But before I did, I unpluged the OXS and it smoothed out just fine. I then went to DEQ to see if it would pass but the CO was way to high. so, I drive it back to my Mechanic, he suggests that it could be the ECU, and he wants to try a loaner ECU in there to see if it will change aanything. low and behold it is the original ECU, we swap it, and it runs like a champ, idles fine, has great power (no hesitation or spputering). It also passes DEQ with flying colors.
now the tough part, is it the ECU or AFM? We put my old AFM on with the new ecu, it runs really crappy at start up, it sputters, Idle Surges, Cuts power. So I decide to see how it runs with my old ECU. to my surprise it runs slightly better but not great. now I adjust the AFM (by way of the wheel with the notches) and it runs even better. let it cool off and try again a few hours later. It now runs, not so great but still not as bad as before. so I swap ECU's again (back to the loaner), it runs much better. but still not great.

so Again What should I buy an ECU an AFM or Both or Niether (trouble shoot something else)? any suggestions would be great, as I hate throwing money, aka: Parts and Labor for undiagnoised or guesses at problems.

Here is What I would like to Acomplish:
I would like smooth running at cold and hot idle (No Surging)
I would like 22mpg like I once used to get
I would like decent power (no hesitations when I put my foot down)
I want My Vanagon to Purr.

I know this is a lot to ask for and I'm sure the jokes and comments will be flying in, But any wisdom would be great.

Thanks, Kyle

Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:24 pm

I assume you have an 86 or newer Van.
Read through this thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=304579

Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:30 am

So what your saying is I should try the some of the electrical tests and figure out if it is the ecu or throttle switch? are there any tests for the AFM? How often do these parts go bad? and what goes bad in them(AFM or ECU)?

Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:31 am

Oh yeah, I have an 87 Westy.

Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:29 pm

OK here is the run down.
When I adjust the throtle switch and my ohm meter reads 0 I go to tighten the baby down and I lose it the after a few turns.

What does this mean? new throtle switch? How does that switch work?

are ther any tricks to getting that to stay?

aditionaly I'm getting no reading at idle or when it is turned off at the male terminals as per the digfant book. What next?