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Mathew Zelezen Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2004 Posts: 547 Location: Graeagle, CA
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 11:16 am Post subject: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Hi all. I ned your help as we drive thru the Canadian wilds.
I'm driving across country in Ontario on our way from Pennsylvania to California and I'm starting to experience what I can only describe as a fuel hiccup when accelrating over 90 kh/hr. It stumbles for a half a second then resumes. Prior to leaving I replaced the AFM and fuel filter (as well as a full tuneup) so I'm currently ruling out the Vanagon Syndrome.
Any ideas of what this might be?
We're on our way (hopefully!) to Serpent River campground so I should be able to dive a little deeper in the next 2 hours.
Thanks! _________________ 87 Syncro Tintop
~Rocky J Motor
~Steedle Trans
Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been. |
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Gruppe B Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2007 Posts: 1331
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 11:32 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Hello,
The owner of the Serpent River Campground may be able to assist somewhat. His name is Garry and was the builder of Vanalong, a stretched Vanagon Camper.
Sorry, I only experienced that once on travels and it may have been a bad tank of Gas. A year later I lost all power over 40km/hr and replaced the tank, filter and pump and the issue never returned. |
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0to60in6min Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2006 Posts: 3416 Location: OR & CA (Oregon/California)
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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put in the gas tank a can of SeaFoam or Liqui Moly injector cleaner to see if it help... and check all the vacuum lines for leak. |
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Microbusdeluxe Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2003 Posts: 980 Location: Bellingham, WA
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15143 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 2:01 pm Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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since you asked for any ideas
the fuel pump relay may be getting hot and unlatching for a moment.
the IGN switch may be developing a bad spot.
the O2 sensor may be getting old or providing a vague signal- try unplugging the wire, don't let it short to gnd. _________________
Abscate wrote: |
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6529 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Might be worth running a fuel dryer if it's been awhile — and especially if never done.
Fuel filter clean? _________________ ‘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 |
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DanHoug Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016 Posts: 4770 Location: Bemidji, MN
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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it would be good to know if it is truly fuel or maybe electrical. does your tach do anything during the faltering? is it at a specific RPM or is it totally related to road speed? ambient temperature have any effect? each time you hit 90kph or only after running a while? manual or auto? year van?
just finished a wonderful trip across Ontario and back, what a wonderful province. be sure to stop frequently at the 'chip stands', each are different and there's a treasure of one at Schreiber on the north end of Superior. _________________ -dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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SurfaceRust Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2016 Posts: 160 Location: Los Angeles
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Check your battery and alternator
I had a very similar problem with my van while traveling. If the battery is bad it will cause a hiccup for a brief moment. You can go to an auto parts store and have it checked for free. I also recommend looking at how old it is. They start to become unreliable after about 5-7 years. |
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15143 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 8:03 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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we've also had the wires in the distributor HALL sensor wires chafe and touch lightly causing an occasional momentary sputter..
happens both at the plug and inside from the plug to the sensor. _________________
Abscate wrote: |
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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0to60in6min Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2006 Posts: 3416 Location: OR & CA (Oregon/California)
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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:23 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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check the AFM harness... it should be connected tight with NO tension on it... |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50336
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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:18 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Double post, delete
Last edited by Wildthings on Mon Jul 16, 2018 10:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50336
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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:19 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Wildthings wrote: |
You should add a ground wire to the AFM and install the Vanagon Syndrome capacitor no matter what. You can also add a short section of aircraft wire to go around the "swing" contact in the AFM.
Check that none of the wire terminals have pushed out of the plug for the AFM or any of the senders. |
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Mathew Zelezen Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2004 Posts: 547 Location: Graeagle, CA
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 9:01 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Hey all!
I really appreciate all your input, it's great having this resource.. especially when traveling.
So I checked out all of the wiring to the Hall Sender, 02 and AFM at the campsite and everything looked nice and tight. In preparation for this trip I made a brand new wire harness for the engine which made a world if difference. The AFM is a rebuild unit with the capacitor I purchased from B.D. that I installed 2 weeks ago and my battery is only a year old.
I don't usually put much merit into products that promise amazing results and like them to that scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the Dad squirts Windex on any ailment.. but I tried the SeaFoam suggestion with a tank of high octane and the hiccup hasn't come back once. Drove all day to Marathon, Ontario and it ran strong.
Groupee B, I ran into Jerry at Serpent River.. nice guy! He sold Vanalong to a fellow in Thunder Bay 2 years ago because he didn't use it as much as he would have liked. And you were right about this stretch of highway. Amazing scenery. Now to find that Chip Shop!
Thanks again everyone for getting us back on the right track! _________________ 87 Syncro Tintop
~Rocky J Motor
~Steedle Trans
Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been. |
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15143 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 9:58 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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just an FYI, if you get the idea to cross the Mackinac bridge
it's $4 each way, https://goo.gl/maps/qPbsMXJUYGR2
and I felt worth it when we went that way last Sept.
there's a historical trading post at the south end of the bridge
https://goo.gl/maps/MgvqQEtUEkJ2 _________________
Abscate wrote: |
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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0to60in6min Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2006 Posts: 3416 Location: OR & CA (Oregon/California)
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 11:00 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Quote: |
but I tried the SeaFoam suggestion with a tank of high octane and the hiccup hasn't come back once. |
now... how about a can of SeaFoam before every oil change? |
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Thom and the Flat Rats Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2014 Posts: 24 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 8:39 pm Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Double check the octane level of the gas you buy. I found out when I drove across Canada that Regular gas is not always 87 which is needed for our vans. Sometimes I needed to use a mid grade gas to get the right octane level. |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50336
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Thom and the Flat Rats wrote: |
Double check the octane level of the gas you buy. I found out when I drove across Canada that Regular gas is not always 87 which is needed for our vans. Sometimes I needed to use a mid grade gas to get the right octane level. |
There are several systems for rating octane so numbers don't mean much unless the rating system on the pump and in the manual are the same, which they usually are not in North America. These engines should be able to run on any regular gas sold in the US and Canada. It is flat out difficult to get a waterboxer engine to knock so little worries there. |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16501 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Spike0180 Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2015 Posts: 2269 Location: Detroit, Michigan
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 5:23 am Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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Mathew Zelezen wrote: |
Hey all!
I really appreciate all your input, it's great having this resource.. especially when traveling.
So I checked out all of the wiring to the Hall Sender, 02 and AFM at the campsite and everything looked nice and tight. In preparation for this trip I made a brand new wire harness for the engine which made a world if difference. The AFM is a rebuild unit with the capacitor I purchased from B.D. that I installed 2 weeks ago and my battery is only a year old.
I don't usually put much merit into products that promise amazing results and like them to that scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the Dad squirts Windex on any ailment.. but I tried the SeaFoam suggestion with a tank of high octane and the hiccup hasn't come back once. Drove all day to Marathon, Ontario and it ran strong.
Groupee B, I ran into Jerry at Serpent River.. nice guy! He sold Vanalong to a fellow in Thunder Bay 2 years ago because he didn't use it as much as he would have liked. And you were right about this stretch of highway. Amazing scenery. Now to find that Chip Shop!
Thanks again everyone for getting us back on the right track! |
Not trying to be a debby downer, but just be aware the problem may not be gone. I have masked over bad coil packs, spark plugs, and a bad injector with high octane gas and some seafoam. So, just be aware. I have also cured some stumbles with high octane fuel and seafoam, so keep trucking until it gets worse. _________________ Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp
Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic" |
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Mellow Yellow 74 Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2014 Posts: 1615 Location: Sydney, Australia
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 2:38 pm Post subject: Re: Hiccup while driving thru Canada |
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I had a similar hiccup problem and it turned out to be water in the fuel caused by a crack in one of the fuel expansion tanks under the front doors. I have a coarse prefilter on the inlet to the fuel pump and could see the water floating on top of the fuel. I replaced the tank and drained the filter and the problem disappeared. _________________ 1962 Karmann Ghia
1974 Deluxe Microbus
1985 Caravelle (Vanagon) |
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