Looking for some opinions on 1.9L issue

[Walty87]

Here we go again! lol…

I’m here once again asking for some advice and or opinions on what my issue could be…

Sometimes my 84 1.9 vanagon will start up and idle for a bi when cold,, but then it will shut off randomly, or if I try to drive it’ll also shut off before I can even back out of my driveway. Usually the van fires right back up, but sometimes it won’t even start unless I wait a few minutes. I want to say I smell gas near the engine, so I’m assuming it’s getting too much fuel? But I’m not 100%.

Another thing to add is that I can start the van and immediately put my foot on the gas and keep the van at higher rpm’s for a bit until the van warms up, then the van seems to run just fine. Sometimes though, when I’m rev’n the engine, attempting to warm the van up, if I accidentally let my foot off the gas peddle the van will shut off (this is of course before it’s warmed up). The van seems to run great once it’s warmed up and the needle on the temp gage is halfway or almost 3/4 and then once it reaches a certain temp the radiator fan kicks on and all is well.

Also I’d like to throw in there that sometimes the van doesn’t want to seem to warm up? Like the temp gage stays lower than normal (sitting under halfway) and the van will still do what it’s doing before. Seems like I have to rev the engine like I stated above to get the van to warm up correctly? Like it won’t warm up unless I rev the motor.

Another thing I noticed is that recently I heard a sound Ive never heard before. . Sounded like a bunch of liquid moving or bubbles in the front of the van? Like a glub glub glub type noise. Caught me off guard and I don’t know why I heard that sound? Maybe from the radiator?

A final thing that’s bad is that I’ll insert my key into the ignition and it will slide right in no problem. It doesn’t feel stuck or anything, but the ignition won’t turn. It’s like stuck? If I wiggle the key a bit or keep trying to turn the key it then finally turns and I’m able to start the van. The last week or so this hasn’t happened. I’m assuming this issue may be separate from the issue above, but I’d thought I’d mention i just in case.

After looking through this site I was kinda leaning on it being a bad thermostat? The van would run rich if it didn’t open? It’s about time I flush the coolant system anyways, so I was going to change out the thermostat as well? What do you guys think? Could a faulty thermostat cause the issue I listed above? Or any sensors or anything else you’d recommend?

I did have an issue with the van last year not running correctly and randomly shutting off (but even when fully warmed up). It was a bad digital idle stabilizer. My local vanagon mechanic found the issue. Prior to taking it to him I had changed the spark plugs, distributor cap, cleaned all the grounds.

As always I really appreciate ya’ll reading this and I’m thankful for any responses. I’m sure I’ll learn a thing or 5.

Thanks!!

[atomatom]

i'll take the easy one. the key in the ignition - there is a steering wheel lock. if it is engaged (turn the wheel after the key is out) then you may need to turn the wheel slightly to be able to turn the key. don't force the key as you don't want to snap it.


i too have an 84 and it just broke down on me. why? i do not know.
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[atomatom]

re needing to keep it floored to warm it up. you may have an air leak somewhere and it is getting too much air. the air intake boot (S boot) and see if any air hoses are loose or have come off. check both the large hoses and the smaller vacuum hoses.

but this is one of 99 possible explanations though, but a good place to start.


re the thermostat - you should test the temperature (IR thermometer) at the engine. it is very common for the gauge to be off, so i would not trust that. a stuck thermostat will not cause your symptoms though - you'll get worse fuel efficiency, but it won't impact starting. if it is stuck the other way, it'll boil/overheat, but fortunately that is not the case here.

it may be your temp2 (blue) sensor in the engine has failed. have a google for testing it. if you have a multimeter, you can verify it is working by testing the resistance. if it reads off spec, it may be telling the van that the engine is warmed up when it isn't.
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[Walty87]

[E1]

So far as the burbling sound, I suspect there’s air in the system.

In testing the coolant temp with an infrared gun, I do that through the license plate door at full-hot temps and at idle. Take temp on the compression (main) tank, being careful to make sure the red indicator light is stable and not being interfered with by other parts on the beam path, and making sure the test area on the tank absolutely has coolant behind the part of the plastic you’re taking temps from.

I see anywhere from 130F on a cool or cold day while traveling on the flats, to as high as 180F atop a pass in the summer. Somewhere in the 160s is what I see the most on average, again, on the plastic tank itself.

Agree with above post about the Temp II sensor being a prime suspect… but would also wonder about water in the gas, a clogged injector from that, or even the fuel pump or computer relays in the black box on driver’s side engine bay.

I’ve been fooled before by hissing sounds that weren’t there or at least not an issue, but don’t discount that if they’re more obvious than mine ended up being.
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‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[Wildthings]

Get yourself a tiny tube of graphite lock lube. You can use it to squirt a spray of graphite into your lock. Then insert the key multiple times to move the graphite around. If you problem is in the lock cylinder itself, this should fix it.

The thermostat on a 1.9L engine is not very accessible and you may have trouble with the bolts breaking if you choose to pull it for testing or replacement. The TSII sensor isn't all the accessible either.

[atomatom]

hopefully a redundant comment, but just in case: don't take the blue cap off when it is hot. it'll spray you with coolant as it is pressurised as it gets hot.
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[Walty87]

[Walty87]

[E1]

Walty, regardless of the ad I would not buy that. We were sold a black one like that once, it showed as correct on one site but not on others I trusted.

They should be blue. Maybe black is for another use, meaning not for coolant. A bus parts place will sell you the right part, and have the correct, researchable, Bosch parts number on it, too.
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‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[Ahwahnee]

Here's where it's located. I have always received a blue one when I ordered.

Can be swapped with very little coolant loss.

X2 on the caution about the bolts on that tstat housing -- about the hardness of warm butter.

I have never broken one but I used PBlaster and an abundance of patience. I use a plastic bottle cap stuffed with paper towel, soaked with PBlaster and attached to the bolt head with a magnet to allow the penetrant to soak 'up'.

[DanHoug]

[Walty87]

[E1]

If you smell fuel from the exhaust when not starting, that’s okay.

If you smell fuel in the engine bay when it’s not run a while, heed Dan’s advice!

If you smell fuel after filling up but when away from gas pumps, that could be a tank seal or evap containers in wheelwells leak.
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‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[atomatom]

post a few photos of your engine bay and we can play where is waldo. don't worry, only a few people have an engine as clean as ahwahnee (jeallous!). we can play where is waldo with the hoses.

btw, one common one to rot is the one just above the alternator in the photo above, going from breather tower to S-boot. the other common failure is the other hose (has a white reducer on the S-boot, reducer often not pushed in far enough)
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[Walty87]

[atomatom]

your shake might just be a busted engine mount. but most waterboxers will rock a little at low rpms.


in your other video, coolant is really low (tank with blue cap) so you probably have a leak somewhere. as to the noises, sounds a little odd, perhaps a alternator or waterpump bearings.


Link

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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[Wildthings]

[Walty87]

Well I haven’t had any real time to out towards the van, but just for the heck of it when I’ve been doing other stuff I’ve started the van to see if it’ll act up. Not a single issue. Fires right up. Idles fine. Hasn’t died. Key is turning with ease and hasn’t been stuck once. I drove it down the street and back with no issues.

Maybe it really was bad gas or water in the gas? I have no idea. Time will tell… Man do I love but hate this thing hahah

[atomatom]

every drive is an adventure
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.