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New Owner - 81 aircooled Vanagon - Vacuum problem?
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Themasterof42
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PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 9:24 pm    Post subject: New Owner - 81 aircooled Vanagon - Vacuum problem? Reply with quote

So I've just began my adventure into the Volkswagen world. I recently purchased a 2.0 liter air cooled Vanagon. Lately, it's been acting kind of funny. I've had it for a few weeks and it seems like it's hesitating more and more to start (and it starts kind of weak) Also, when I go from park to drive or drive to reverse (or even come to a stop) sometimes it dies or runs extremely low (this is happening increasingly more regularly) Anyways, I've been doing a little work trying to figure out what the problem could be (Keep in mind I know very little mechanically) So far, I've changed the spark plugs with new bosch ones, I've put in new oil, and a couple other little things. I've been trying to clean stuff up as much as possible. So today, while cleaning, we discovered that a vacuum line going out of the distributer wasn't hooked up to anything. This seems like it could definitely be a problem. My question is where does this go? I've included a few pictures that should hopefully show it pretty well. Also, while examining a picture I found of the same engine, I noticed another little hose wasn't hooked up. I think I read that it maybe goes to like a charcoal box or something? how important is this? (I'm confused as to how to hook this line back up...it doesn't seem to have anything to connect to...I mean I see the hole but that's it)


Anyways, if anyone has any advice, please let me know!



Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Look for the little red arrows. A couple point to the disconnected line...and one points to the hole where that other hose seems to go. I'll try and post a couple more pictures soon!
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Themasterof42
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PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Volksbulli
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PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 5:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thats for your vacuum retard it should be t-ed in with Vac port on the right side of the intake plenum(as you are looking down at it) the same port that goes to your fuel press regulator.
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Themasterof42
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PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay....so I just took a look. I think I probably found where it's supposed to be t'd off...but mine didn't have a vacuum line T...just a connector so a single vacuum line could go in (which I think I accidentally unhooked while searching for the thing)



Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.




So the line visible in the picture and the vacuum retard line should both go into that port? Or is that incorrect?


Also, those lines are feeling pretty old, where would be a good place to get new ones? Would you recommend rubber vacuum lines? or is it better to go with the plastic stuff that is on there due to the engine heat? (or some other reason)


Thanks!
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PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This looks like a California vanagon motor...you have a lambda sensor? I don't have my manual handy but the PO removed the decel valve so some of the vacuum line should be plugged. Someone here may know how the vacuum should be set up if you remove the decel valve. There should not be any open lines. I would get another decel valve and set the vacuum back to stock.

Another thing I notice....you have some openings in the cooling tine you need to seal those.
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Volksbulli
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PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 10:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Themasterof42 wrote:
Okay....so I just took a look. I think I probably found where it's supposed to be t'd off...but mine didn't have a vacuum line T...just a connector so a single vacuum line could go in (which I think I accidentally unhooked while searching for the thing)



Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.




So the line visible in the picture and the vacuum retard line should both go into that port? Or is that incorrect?


Also, those lines are feeling pretty old, where would be a good place to get new ones? Would you recommend rubber vacuum lines? or is it better to go with the plastic stuff that is on there due to the engine heat? (or some other reason)


Thanks!


Ok mine is Federal Emissions so I don't have the port on the other side of the throttle body or Vacuum retard. So yeah that port obn the TB has manifold vacuum cause its after the throttle plate. Hook your vacuum retard to that port then. The port in the middle of the plenum goes to FPR. You can use the hard plastic lines if they aren't brittle and cracking. I think they used that cause some of the thin walled vac line will collapse is used for any more than a few inches to connect hard line to ports.
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Themasterof42
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PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

okay...so I did a little bit of work really quickly today...and I'm hoping I got things right (seems better at least) So I put in a t and connected the line for the vacuum retard and the line from the intake plenum into the throttle body. Then I took it for a little test drive. It seemed to work fine...no stalling problems (not today at least) Hopefully that problem is solved for now. It still seems to be waiting far too long before it shifts into the high gear though...hopefully new transmission might do the trick as it's pretty low. Also, I still have the question about that loose clear tube coming from the right side of the engine (I think from the charcoal box or something like that) Any idea how to make that connect into the correct port?
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RCB
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PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 8:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Greetings...on the top of the charcoal cannister are two outlets and one of the outlets goes directly to a "T" that vents the fuel fumes back into the overflow tank and the other is a direct line to the air filter housing.

Be careful when fooling around with the cannister and the various lines and especially the "T".
The plastic can easilly break due to the age.

If you need something replaced because its allready broken check out the parts section as TK has quite a few new VW parts for this application.
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Randy in Maine
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PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2009 4:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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I am not sure exactly what is going on with this thing, but you have a DVDA distributor and a SVDA thottle body (ie you have no way to retard the timing using throttle body vacuum). I am just a bus guy though, so someone else would know more about it than me.

When they enter in the serial number of this thing during smog testing it is going to give the you the correct answer.

What is the number on the side of the distributor?

If it is indeed a 49 state set up, I think the vacuum set up would be sort of like this..

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Volksbulli
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PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2009 6:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Themasterof42 wrote:
okay...so I did a little bit of work really quickly today...and I'm hoping I got things right (seems better at least) So I put in a t and connected the line for the vacuum retard and the line from the intake plenum into the throttle body. Then I took it for a little test drive. It seemed to work fine...no stalling problems (not today at least) Hopefully that problem is solved for now. It still seems to be waiting far too long before it shifts into the high gear though...hopefully new transmission might do the trick as it's pretty low. Also, I still have the question about that loose clear tube coming from the right side of the engine (I think from the charcoal box or something like that) Any idea how to make that connect into the correct port?


Cool I just realized yours is an automatic. So is mine. The Vacuum has nothing to do with the shifting of the transmission. The Auto in the Vanagons don't have vacuum modulators on the tranny like older American cars to control shifts.

The Clear plastic tube connects to a nipple directly behind the alternator on the engine tin. sometimes the nipple gets broke off. it only has like two little spot welds holding it on.
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Themasterof42
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PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2009 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So I would need to do some sort of a welding job to get that back on? Or is there some sort of temporary fix I should consider...like gorilla glue or something?
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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2009 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This site has all the info you need. It's geared towards bays, but all the info pertains to your motor...

http://www.ratwell.com/technical/FAQ.html
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Themasterof42
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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay, so I've been toying around with this stuff a little bit and while I was working on it, I discovered another vacuum line that wasn't connected. One side of this one went into the fuel regulator (think that's what it is) on the top left side of the engine. I'm wondering if I got this all hooked up right.


So, as of right now I've got one line for the vacuum advance coming out of the back of the throttle body and into the distributer. I've got another line for the vacuum retard coming out of the distributor and into a port on the bottom/front of the throttle body. Finally, I have the vacuum line going from the intake plenum to the fuel regulator (if that's what it is) This line you can clearly see because I haven't neatly tucked it underneath like the other ones. Is this the correct setup? I noticed a huge difference when I hooked up the line for the vacuum retard to the throttle body. However, I have noticed no difference since I hooked up the line from the intake plenum to the fuel thing in the top left corner of the engine. What should that line be doing?


Please let me know! Once again, this is a California Vanagon.


here is a couple pictures....hopefully showing how it's hooked up.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


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Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.




Thank you!
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Randy in Maine
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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The hook up should be similar to this one, with the hard to get to on the throttle body toward the front of the bus going to the retard side of the can.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Sometimes the dvance vacuum line that is shared with the EEC valve in the aircleaner can pose a problem if the EEC valve will not hold a vacuum. If that is the case, put a golf T in that line.
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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 8:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll try to get you a picture of my setup tomorrow...it is a California setup even though it is a manual transmission so I have a decel valve, but it might help. It is picky about the vacuum. Also you might want to check your PCV valve for leaks. By this time most are leaking due to the rubber gasket getting hard and the diaphragm inside has usually deteriorated. I had to put a piece of electrical tape over the small hole on mine and replace the rubber seal on the stem that goes into the engine. I have one question...what is the dipstick with the yellow tag on it near the fuel pressure regulator.?...I do not have that on mine.
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Themasterof42
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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 9:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

a picture would be awesome! and the dipstick with the yellow tag is for the automatic transmission (I wish it was manual though)



So where is the pcv valve and what would that do? Would it be fairly easy to check if it was in tact?
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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

oops, sorry! That was a dumb question. I looked it up and I know what that piece is! I took it off the other day and it was filled with grime. I've tried to clean it out...but I'm not sure how to tell if it's working correctly or not. Any tips on that?
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PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2009 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would just wipe off the grime with a rag. Dont soak it in solvents because there is a mesh filter inside the housing that might fall apart and then its useless.

The hose you have running from the valve to the "S" boot needs to be replaced as its breaking down.

That valve is important for emissions.

The valve itself has a one way flow, so be sure the small hole on the very top is clear of gunk
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PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2009 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here are the picts of my vacuum setup...I hope they help. Also that hole in the pcv valve probably needs to be plugged. Most of these valves have deteriorated diaphragms. I am currently trying to figure out a way to fix these.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Sat May 30, 2009 11:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for taking picture! I am now fairly sure everything is hooked up correctly. Now I just have to replace some of those old cracking lines! The fun never ends!
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