smog test: engine won't run at 2500 rpm for 3 minutes

[ckissick]

I can't get my '89 Tristar smogged (California) because it won't run at 2500 RPMs for the required 3 minutes. It goes for about 2 minutes, then goes right down to idle speed, with no letoff on the accelerator. It runs fine on the road.

Also, it seems to be running rich, and probably won't pass, anyway. I'll address the oxy sensor for that. Any other advice?
_________________
Charlie
1950 Beetle
1983 Westfalia
1989 syncro Tristar
1966 Porsche 912
1989 Beck Spyder
2007 GTI Fahrenheit

[tencentlife]

Will it go down the road for 3 minutes?

Is it an automatic?
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[ckissick]

Stickshift. And it will drive down the road at any RPM all day long.
_________________
Charlie
1950 Beetle
1983 Westfalia
1989 syncro Tristar
1966 Porsche 912
1989 Beck Spyder
2007 GTI Fahrenheit

[Dogpilot]

I know I sound like a broken record here. But this kind of behavior points to the Throttle Switch, try unplugging it and see if it will do your 2500. If it will run correctly, then you need to adjust it.
_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G

[tencentlife]

I concur. Heartily.

Hey, dog, what's a "broken record"?
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[madspaniard]

[madspaniard]

it would help a lot if everybody posting these type of questions/problems comes back and posts how they solved the problem, in most cases we keep saying the TPS, in my case I have the same problems but the TPS was not at fault (bad gas, dirty injectors). I'm not saying the TPS is not the problem here, checking the TPS is easy and quick, I'm just saying it would help to see people posting how they fixed it so that we can follow up and help in a better way.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=340574

[ckissick]

OK, I'll report in. I passed smog today. All I did was run a can of Sea Foam to clean out the injectors. Then I took the car to a smog test place that does all the vanagons for Tassi. The tester ran the car at about 4000 RPMs to heat it up and clean out the system, then ran the test.

It still had trouble maintaining 2500 RPM, so he disconnected the idle switch, or whatever it's called, near the throttle assembly. Then is ran smoother at 2500 RPM, and it passed with flying colors.
_________________
Charlie
1950 Beetle
1983 Westfalia
1989 syncro Tristar
1966 Porsche 912
1989 Beck Spyder
2007 GTI Fahrenheit

[Dogpilot]

Then it is the switch. They get old, sticky and the cam gets dirty and worn. All in all it is a crappy design. I wonder if it is a military design?? It really is the #1 thing wrong with most of the vans. Bad gas is a problem, but I had a Vanagon in Nairobi and good gas was hard to find. It still ran fine. Dirty injectors will make it run poorly, but they usually cause a constant miss if they don't open (bad connector, shorted, rusted, or flat worn out). If they drool (fail to close properly) or stay open, the car runs rich and has poor MPG.

Vacuum leaks run a close second in Vanagon problems and run neck in neck with poor or old ignition wires, cap and rotor.

The biggest bugaboo is the old PVC wiring. It has a whole host of problems it causes. The problem is, it manifests itself in so many varied and interesting ways.

Broken record, lets see, if you never ran vinyl records, an explanation. is in order. The music was in grooves with small bumps in them. The bumps where translated by a needle running in this long spiral in the face of the vinyl by a series of small coils influenced by a magnet. Sometimes, a groove would get damaged or worn. The result is the needle, instead of playing this very long spiral, played a very short circle. Leading to constant repeats, like; throttle switch, throttle switch, throttle switch, until the end of time.

So check your Throttle Switch thusly:
A new one can be had from various online sources like:
http://www.van-cafe.com/vanagon_parts.jsp?pa=p&p=1870592475
Adjust it so:
Here is a quick run down on what to do:

_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G

[tencentlife]

I was just goofing on the idea that someday soon, more and more keikis won't know what things like that mean.
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[Dogpilot]

When I dusted off my record player a few years back. My kids goggled at it wondering how it worked. They thought it was soo much more fun to run records than CD's. Then again most of my records sounded like $hit by then, that or I am getting really deaf.

It cracks me up when folks talk about 'Dial Up.' Like any of them ever encountered a dial phone.
_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G