Help! On the road - rough running / misfiring while driving - WY

[jayaredoubleyou]

Posting from phone - keeping short.

87 Westfalia stock engine 2.1 L

While driving on highway getting rough engine, jerky, feels like misfiring. Most noticeable in 4th gear going downhill with RPM 3200-3600. All belts tight and in place. No fuel leaks or sounds from fuel pump. Any suggestions? No previous history of this issue.

Recent repairs (less than 1000 miles):

New belts
New fuel pump
New fuel filter
Upgrade to 16" rims

[Gruppe B]

When was the last tune up (spark plugs, wires, cap & rotor, air and fuel filter)?

How old is the Oxygen sensor?

[Merian]

No previous history of this issue. --after you did the above repairs, and drove it around for a while, was it fine?

Did this happen shortly after getting gas in Wyoming? They may have noticed your "Greenie" plates and given you bad gas, not the gas from the "for locals only" tank...
_________________
....

[bjrogers86auto]

Is it rainy and wet? If it is...water in gas from wheel well vent tank grommets...

Been there...done that.

B
_________________
86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[Ahwahnee]

Could be several things - including Vanagon Syndrome.

Diagnostic for that - if you switch the ignition off then back on (no need to stop) does the problem clear for awhile?

Use caution and recall that for the moment you have the ignition switched off the steering is locked.

[boroko]

Steering locked usually only if you pull the key... But I'd still be careful.
_________________
'87 SyncroWesty: Smokey the Turtle, '85 SubiWesty: Chappie, '84 GTI, '86 GTI in full Rally trim,
previous: 2 Syncro tin tops, 2 Vanagons, 3 busses, 3 Ghias, 2 Jettas, a 411, a gas and a diesel Bunny and about 25 Beetles, one that only drove left.

[jayaredoubleyou]

Thanks for replies everyone

So I pulled some spark plugs in an oreillys lot and they were definitely over gapped and the wires are pretty beat up as well. Oreillys was useless and none of the plugs they thought fit were right. I have a new cap and wires and plugs.... At home. Bad move on my part.

So we're pushing on and probably just keeping the speed low(er than normal) and trying to stay in cell service.

[jackbombay]

[djkeev]

[Abscate]

USPS hold for pickup, available at 31000 post offices per the website

I think you folks who do these tours should think about preboxing parts with someone, coding them by number, so that you can call up and say.

Send me box 3, 5, and 7 to this PO for pickup.
_________________
.ssS!

[IdahoDoug]

Heh great idea. On a related note, when we travel I leave a FedEx label laying on the kitchen counter thats one of those pre printed ones they give if you have sn account. Then the house watcher can just grab it and a fedex envrlope ir box and send things. One of us usually forgets something once a year.

I think someone could start a raging business selling jay browns bypass harness thing that plugs into the key components by having a couple in fedex overnights ready to go to a stranded Vanagon.
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[bosstyn]

Outside of the other things mentioned, these are a few things i would look at in my trouble shooting.

Check your AFM. Make sure there is continuity. In the above photo you can see where mine broke. Gave me a lot of trouble but luckily i was close to home.

You could also check the aux hose that goes in to the air intake just after the AFM. That one coming loose or leaking can do a good job of mucking up a smooth engine.

Temp II sensor? Oriellys should have these in stock and they're cheap. Start by making sure you have a good connection to the sensor. Lastly, i would replace it. Its a cheap part, and if it doesn't fix the problem, you have a spare.

You could check the quality of the grounds located on the diver side of the block.
If they look suspect, try cleaning them up.

Can you try describing how its running further?

Im still new to the "fix your own van" game, but sometimes anything can help.

You could also do a compression test........

Does anyone recall the "computer restart procedure" could that maybe help him out?
_________________
Donquita, 85 Westfalia GL