Date:         Mon, 11 Sep 2000 22:52:58 -0500
Reply-To:     Tonya Pope <Tonya@HOLOREALITY.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tonya Pope <Tonya@HOLOREALITY.COM>
Subject:      Re: Cutting out problem
In-Reply-To:  <39BCCD2A.6C0BB07D@sympatico.ca>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

On 11 Sep 00, at 8:16, Lawrence Johnson wrote:
> This "Vanagon Syndrome" is well understood by both VW and real people. VW has a
> $100 wiring harness to "fix" the problem. Real people have a $0.55 capacitor
> "fix". The real problem is the screwy programming in the Digifant gets confused
> and shuts down. VW never admitted this error.

Unfortunately, the wiring harness is not the only culprit, nor does it
always "fix" the problem.  When my van was experiencing the
problem I was directed to spend the $100+ (I think it was 120 at
the time) only to install it and continue to have the exact same
problem I was already having.

On 11 Sep 00, at 9:10, Mick Kalber wrote:
> So the capacitor is the solution, eh?  How come so many listees
seem to be
> throwing other parts at it still?  They just haven't caught on yet?

Parts are still being thrown because there are MANY parts that can
cause the problems.  I took the part throwing route myself, but not
by choice.  I had all the mechanical "experts" in town telling me,
very emphatically each time, that THIS part was the real trouble
and if I just replaced it, all my worries would disappear.  I hadn't
owned mine enough at the time to know better yet, so I spent ton$.
 I stopped when the dealer insisted it was the $800 ecu.

In some cases, part throwing does make sense.  For any part that
is cheaper and less time consuming to just buy and replace rather
than test (the tempII sensor comes to mind), swap it out.  But don't
spent the $100 thinking it's a magical cure all, cause it's not.  It's a
quick way to become very disenchantized.

As for the cutting out problem, if it doesn't start right back up fine,
the harness won't fix it.  If it seems temperature related (i.e. when it
warms up it does it and has to cool off to return to "normal"), look
at parts that temperature would relate to (tempII sensor, O2
sensor, etc).  See if there are any other common external factors.
Always happens on the same bumpy road or when it's raining?
Check grounds and wires (always a good idea in general).  I kept
insisting that mine was related to heat, that when it warmed up to a
certain point it acted up and only behaved again after it cooled
down.  I had 5 different "mechanics" all tell me that that observation
was just coincidental, that their part of the week was the true
culprit and it had nothing to do with temperature.  For my
"mechanics" I use the term loosely as I believe most of them were
glorified part swappers -- I have since found one that believes in
diagnosis and pay him appropriately for that service, unfortunately
he's way more into aircooled and willingly admits his lack of
expertise (his admitting it is more than enough reason for me to
continue using him -- he doesn't try to con me).  Anyways, for me
the problem was the temp sensor.  Silly $10 part that totally
debilitated my van.

Bottom line, there is no magical cure-all and don't go into it
thinking there is.  Or you'll become very unhappy, very quickly.
Look at everything you can think of that is consistent about when
the problem happens and see if there is some type of pattern.
Don't assume that anything is "coincidental", cause chances are
it's not.  When the problem started happening, had there been
some recent change to the van (new part, new gas station, new
landscape, tune-up, etc).

So go put that detective hat on and good luck!
Tonya
87 Vanagon GL Wolfs