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nohong
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2021
Posts: 9
Location: California
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 Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 5:13 pm Post subject: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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I drove my '90 vanagon (stock motor, relatively recently rebuilt 3-speed auto tranny) today and was surprised by two things (1) the transmission kick down was working and (2) the van had definitely had more power than I'm used to.
I believe there is more to (2) than just (1).
(1) At the max throttle position there is a clear detent and the van downshifts. I'm sure I'm describing something all other van owners take for granted, but I've never experienced this in owning the van for 12 years!. Maybe the cable was out of adjustment? Maybe something was sticky? Maybe the floor mat has preventing full position?
(2) I'm used to our van struggling up hills at 45mph and cruising comfortably at 60-65 on the highway, but struggling to keep up much more than 70. I've had (and fixed) stalling and refusing to start issues in the past that I chalked up to a bad O2 sensor ground. I noticed the van had been a bit extra stinky and thought I needed to revisit the grounds again. Could this have to do with ECU mapping? Is it possible there's some state it was in where it's producing more power (seems awful unlikely). In any case it sure is nice having more power than I'm used to and I'd love to make it stay this way! Any ideas as to what's going on? |
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kourt
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1946
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 5:45 pm Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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| Just run with it, man! |
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kourt
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1946
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 5:47 pm Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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Seriously, the throttle linkage configuration for automatics is a bit of an art form. It may have finally been touched by someone who knows the art. There should be a distinct point at which you can call on 2nd gear just by stomping on the pedal.
Realistically, people do not fully understand that a Vanagon automatic should be in 2nd gear until 45MPH on the flats and 60MPH on the hills. Anything less and it underperforms.
If your hill is a long incline on an interstate, it is totally normal to lock it into 2nd gear with the gear selector and ride that hill at 60-65MPH in 2nd gear. No harm done, and you have a lot more throttle control at the higher revolutions. This is how the van should be driven.
[assuming properly maintained, configured, and cooled engine and trans]
kourt |
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pdm777
Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2012
Posts: 348
Location: Clovis, CA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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"a Vanagon automatic should be in 2nd gear
until 45MPH on the flats and 60MPH on the hills"
AMEN!
The vast majority of owners are 'afraid' to rev the wasserboxer.
"oh I might hurt my precious baby"
I remember (1970's) Porsche dealers would have to
demonstrate to new owners how+when to shift with a high-revving
911 flat six engine. New owners were prone to shifting at 3000rpm.
Like it was a Chevy V8.
Once they learned that the engine was designed
to rev past 6,000rpm, many horsepowers were unlocked.
I have a friend that STILL shifts his Porsche 911S at 3,000rpm
and believes going higher rpms is detrimental to the engine.
What I really need is more than 3 gears !!!
Give me a 7-speed PDK !
REV IT UP!
_________________
1990 Westy Full Camper |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50350
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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| Maybe some piece of detritus that has been effecting throttle movement finally moved out of the way? |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9610
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 9:12 pm Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| Maybe some piece of detritus that has been effecting throttle movement finally moved out of the way? |
Whiny passenger?
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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nohong
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2021
Posts: 9
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:33 pm Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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@kourt @pdm777 I think what I'm realizing is previously if you floored it my van would shift into second somewhere around 3000rpm. Flooring it today, it would run up to 5k before shifting.
I still think it ALSO had more power over all ( found myself going 75 on the highway, hills didn't seem to slow me down as much as I'm used to). Maybe I was just in a hurry and a bit more lead-footed, but I really don't think it can be just that. Feels about as likely as the fairy VW mechanic tuning my throttle linkage while I wasn't looking.
@djkeev It was just me and my 2 year old today, but I drive it solo enough to recognize this power gain as more than would be caused by a couple hundred pounds of passenger/cargo. |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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ZsZ
Samba Member
Joined: December 11, 2010
Posts: 1647
Location: Budapest Hungary, Europe
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 2:29 am Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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probably it blew the catalytic restrictor out through the tailpipe 
_________________
Zoltan
1.9 MTdi 2wd Multivan (ex Caravelle)
Van since 2006, engine since 2008 |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9610
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:05 am Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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| ZsZ wrote: |
| probably it blew the catalytic restrictor out through the tailpipe |
There was a time when my tailpipe had a rattle.
I found this to be the catalytic element loose inside its housing.
You can see the imprint from the Oxy sensor, that it has spent some time plugging the exhaust.
I found this problem after some major engine trouble.
(EJ25 Ring land failure).  ----> EJ25 death 81k (2007) JDM longblock replacement w/2011
I don’t know if it was a contributor but I suppose it could increase cylinder head temperature.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
Last edited by Sodo on Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jake de Villiers
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:10 am Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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| Sodo wrote: |
| Wildthings wrote: |
| Maybe some piece of detritus that has been effecting throttle movement finally moved out of the way? |
Whiny passenger? |
Good morning!!! 
_________________
'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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nohong
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2021
Posts: 9
Location: California
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 1:37 pm Post subject: Re: 90 van suddenly has more power |
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@ZsZ @Sodo My exhaust IS super rusty (but it doesnt have any major holes and isnt particularly noisy so why would I touch it?) It lived on the coast for a while before we bought it.
And yes the tailpipe looks like it's about to fall off... |
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