Date:         Sun, 14 Sep 1997 15:59:19 -0400
Reply-To:     CarlMarin@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         Carl Turner <CarlMarin@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Adjusting CO on Vanagon, JC Whitney to the rescue!

In a message dated 97-09-14 11:55:47 EDT, you write:

<<
 Looks like I'll miss the Jerome JAmboree as I couldn't get an
 appointment to have the CO adjusted until 9/22 and I don't want to drive
 it and risk running too lean and cookin the engine.  (It got messed with
 during the lastest non running episode)

 Anyone have a mixture adjustment process that doesn't use the exhaust
 emission sensor?  I tried doing it with the rpms but that did not seem
 very reliable.  The idle also got moved.
  >>

I finally broke down and got a cheap CO meter from JC Whitney.  Normally $229
but I got it on sale for $199.  Its a fairly cheaply made device of English
origin oddly enough.  It is very sensitive to where you locate device
relative to gettin a consistent reference air sample outside of the
exhauststream.  If the wind is breezing, its about impossible to get a nice
stable reading.  Aside from this nuisance, I was able to actually get my 84
adjusted dead nuts.  Even with the breeze problem I could at least get the
adjustment in the ball park within 1% or so.

I took it to a Jiffy Lube type place for an initial test where it failed,
which kind of bummed me out as I had just dialed everything in and checked it
a couple of times over the course of a couple of days.  So I bit the bullet
and took it to VW and authorized an hour for adjustment but they came back
and said it was dead nuts and needed no work.  Got out of there for less than
25 bucks if I remember right.  I believe the Jiffy Lubes testers were not in
tolerance and having had to wait in line for 25 minutes also doomed that
first test to failure.  The Cat must be hot to get a good number!

Having spent the bucks on even this cheezy CO meter I feel at least now that
I am not completely at the mercy of these clowns at the shops.  Its probably
already paid for itself when I think about it.

Just my personal experience,  if you spring for the JC Whitney thing don't
expect too much but it is workable with some patience.  I got the better of
the two they sell BTW, the one with the Tach, Dwell, Volts, etc functions.

Regards,

Carl Turner