Vanagon Syndrome

[@Onemillionbucks]

thank you for this contribution. i am suffering from vanagon syndrome and cannot wait to check the air flow meter after installing my o2 sensor tomorrow! you rock

[@davejsargent]

To improve my o2 sensor on my Vanagon, I add a ground clamp wire (with a hose clamp) to the o2 sensor and ran the wire to the ground of the ignition coil ground. Without this the van runs a little rich. The exhaust ground is not good with age. The 2.2uf cap in the AFM in Vanagon helped. The AFM should be tested with a meter, idle is about 1.5v and floored 6.5 V (ignition on, not running). Normal for it to move as you saw.

[@TOM3684]

Alan, I agree, have Peter @ San Diego Westy take a look, he is very professional and can really help as he has lots of experience, if you live there, he is great. He went thru my van and replaced all the common wiring issues, especially the ground wires. Along with all the other things you mentioned, also make sure the clamp after the AFM is secure (just in case it was loosened when an air filter was changed) That caused issues for me too! Fuel injector hoses to and from the manifolds too, awe heck, replace it all over time! :). Eventually I put in a Subaru 2.5 in as all the electronics were an upgrade.

[@stevem6008]

Alan, thank you for contributing to the Vanagon family. I have a Digijet Westy that has dodged the Vanagon Syndrome malady. You are on the right track by cleaning all grounds and fixing corroded connections. What size tires are you running on your Westy? If you keep your Westy, you will find yourself accumulating all sorts of tools. A voltmeter is a necessity. It is the good fortune of Vanagon fans that the web offers vast resources. Mechanics who know the Vanagon's quirks are rare. Happy and safe traveling.

[@adamdooch6250]

Great video very helpful. I had my air flow metre rebuilt and new circuit board installed helped a bit but want to do dizzy cap, rotor button, plugs and leads next as mine look to be very aged.

[@Ahoj4U]

Dear Alan, thank you so much for the video! I have had a serious case of Vanagon Syndrome for at least 2 years now. Went to a number of authorized VW services and they could not solve the problem. Very depressing, as I was thinking the only thing left to do was sell the vehicle. This video is very helpful and I will try the fixes you recommend (I had previously purchased the harness, but it has had no effect).

[@aseideman]

+Peter See my updated comment above. There was another issue I identified that might be helpful.

[@Ahoj4U]

Thank you for the update. After years of Vanagon Syndrom, the problem finally became so bad that my Vanagon (1987) was un - driveable. I took it back to my authorized VW service who were happy that the problem had finally progressed, as they said they could now better identify it. Turned out it was not the AFM, but old wiring as you mention here. So the gist of the story is, that if the problem is only intermittent, the source will be difficult to identify. Letting it progress to the extreme exposed it. But rather than wait for this, as Alan suggests here, check all the old wiring.

[@photopicker]

My Westy had an issue where suddenly it would stop running. It was intermittent but fatal. The problem was traced to the Hall Sender unit.

[@jimw98277]

Hi, Alan, I found an answer that's never been mentioned. I have an '83 aircooled tin top which had this problem. I did a number of things without any result, but by luck I decided to replace the condenser. When I started to pull it out the long wire connected to the coil on the side engine compartment wall fell away from the dual wire connection that goes into the distributor. After replacing it I've had no problem. It must have been shorting out. When I took a sharp left turn (and the engine swayed to the passenger side pulling on that wire) I got my first "stall out" and it continued pestering me off and on. I suspect a mechanic who pulled the engine (I've never done one myself) might have forgotten to detach the condenser wire from the coil before he dropped the engine or that wire got hung up somehow and stretched it tugging it almost out of the connection attached to the side of the distributor.

[@supertrinca]

Great video Alan!!!!

[@heart4Pahoa]

Great video! Thanks for taking the time to document and post! We have an 83 1.9, but no vanagon syndrome thus far. But it has been running a bit rough lately. I too picked up a Bosch O2 sensor, but I have not yet installed.so did I understand you right where you said in the video that you had your stock 1.9 bored to a 2.1 and kept everything else the same? Did SD Westy do that for you?

[@aseideman]

+heart4Pahoa Sorry for the late reply. I live in the Bay Area so the folks who did the engine upgrade were the brothers at Fred's Garage in Redwood City.

[@Camp_Runamuck]

I'll forward the video to a friend ..I carry a spare air flow meter

[@VolkswagenTcom]

Hey Alan, thanks for taking the time to film and post this! Curious to hear how has your van been behaving since these fixes, particularly with the reformed AFM?

[@aseideman]

+VolkswagenT25.com Thanks for reminding me actually. I meant to post an update. I hope other people read this update. So the van started having issues again shortly after making this video. I don't think the issue was the air flow meter because as you can see in this video, the vibration was about the same before and after installing the new air flow meter. So I went to the next culprit which was the pigtail connector on the distributor. I think I mentioned in this video that the guys in San Diego cinched that wiring down for me to reduce vibration because there might have been a short in that pigtail connector or somewhere along that wiring. In any case, I had a mechanic replace the distributor cap - and that, finally, so far, has solved the problem. I've done a couple trips with the van of about 100 miles without any issues. When the issue was present, it would stall out even pulling out of a parking spot. So to the best of my knowledge, it was a wiring issue. Looking back I'd say that I felt the best performance gain when installing that harness on the air flow meter and then again when replacing the distributor cap. Hope this helps everyone!

[@VolkswagenTcom]

+Alan Seideman hey Alan, thanks for posting your very in depth reply. I traced my v similar fault down to a vacuum leak in the rubber pipe coming down from the idle stabilisation valve. It only ever reared it head when cold, when warm I'm guessing the rubber expanded to fill the gap.

[@darrylrobbins8118]

that tiny coolant hose looks like its gonna blow!

[@conordaly8537]

Hi Alan I bought an 84 tin top vanagon and it keeps losing power after the engine warms up. Won’t go past 20mph and that’s with the gas pedal fully down. Eventually it loses all power but doesn’t actually cut out. Is this vanagon syndrome and if so do you have any ideas? I live in the Bay Area too, mill valley and really could use some help. Thanks so much. Conor

[@aseideman]

Conor Daly Hi it’s been a while and I don’t have the camper anymore but the syndrome was a total loss of power with shutoff - so it sounds like yours is a different issue. The shop I always tried was in the peninsula near Burlingame. Good luck!

[@peterburke9686]

Have a look at the O2 sensor wiring. The centre conductor plastic insulator may be cracked which would allow the centre conductor to short to the shielding.

[@DanTheManIOM]

Alan what was the initial issue ? I read, but I could not find it.

[@Muftobration]

Alan, did your engine ever spit and sputter while giving it gas, or did it just cut out at idle? I'm having a problem with my van (also an '84) and I'm trying to determine if it meets the criteria people use for "Vanagon Syndrome". It runs fine most of the time, but sometimes I have trouble starting it. I hold the gas pedal to the floor while cranking and, once it starts, keep it held there. I'll be at 1000 RPM for 20-30 seconds, then it will suddenly shoot up because the gas pedal is depressed, even though it was depressed fully all along. Something is taking a while to open up. Also, during normal driving while giving it gas, my van will cut out for a split second. It sort of feels like a misfire.

[@benevolence_isavurtue2971]

I believe I'm having a similar issue to this in my 84'... this is suddenly new... it needs the gas pedal compressed to not die in startup... and takes 2 attempts... catches stability on it's own within 10mins... but I'm about to travel for months. Hoping this is a simple fix asap... seems the MAF, and distributor cap check? I foolishly ran a 300mi trip on 3 cylinders until I noticed a plug was needing to be plugged in.

[@samuellafreniere6057]

Hey alan, i tried to remove the AFM cap but it's stuck there. i dont want to force it so i dont break anything. There was a seal that i removed but still, the cap doesn't want to get off. Did you have any difficulties removing it?

[@aseideman]

Might have to force it more. Or pry it open. The cap doesn't have any mechanical parts in it

[@coffeeseven]

65 or 70 in my 86 would make me clench my teeth LOL.

[@KoleC4]

Air leak

[@jeepercreepers54]

Never splice an O2 sensor

[@mrflamewars]

worthless wasserboxer engine. the very definition of "boat anchor" or "good for nothing scrap metal"

[@yosoy8199]

Again the same comment???? You live a very sad life😢 😂😂😂😂😂

[@brucewayne2773]

skip the middle man and get your fully rebuilt ari flow meter at FIC www.fuelinjectioncorp.com