Fuel Enrichment Switch

I have way to much fuel in the exhaust of my 85 Vanagon. After reading
the bentley manual I found it should have a 'fuel enrichment switch'
that basically dumps fuel into the system at high rpms. Can this switch
go bad and cause my problem? Would bypassing this switch hurt anything?
And can anyone recommend where I could get a replacement switch if it is
found to be faulty?

Thanks
*MYSTIC*

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:11:02 -0700, *MYSTIC* >
wrote:

>I have way to much fuel in the exhaust of my 85 Vanagon. After reading
>the bentley manual I found it should have a 'fuel enrichment switch'
>that basically dumps fuel into the system at high rpms. Can this switch
>go bad and cause my problem? Would bypassing this switch hurt anything?
>And can anyone recommend where I could get a replacement switch if it is
>found to be faulty?
>
>Thanks
>*MYSTIC*
Have you replaced the oxygen sensor assuming that this is a gas pwered
vehicle? The switch is nothing special. Well at least on a Rabbit or
Golf. You can find them at junkyards. But I do not own a Westi so I am
just guessing.
http://www.van-cafe.com/sp/8691V/ECUManual.pdf

Jim Behning wrote:

> On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:11:02 -0700, *MYSTIC* >
> wrote:
>
>
>>I have way to much fuel in the exhaust of my 85 Vanagon. After reading
>>the bentley manual I found it should have a 'fuel enrichment switch'
>>that basically dumps fuel into the system at high rpms. Can this switch
>>go bad and cause my problem? Would bypassing this switch hurt anything?
>>And can anyone recommend where I could get a replacement switch if it is
>>found to be faulty?
>>
>>Thanks
>>*MYSTIC*
>
> Have you replaced the oxygen sensor assuming that this is a gas pwered
> vehicle? The switch is nothing special. Well at least on a Rabbit or
> Golf. You can find them at junkyards. But I do not own a Westi so I am
> just guessing.
> http://www.van-cafe.com/sp/8691V/ECUManual.pdf
I've replaced alot of things...

O2 sensor
air flow meter
fuel pressure regulator
temp sensor 2
Cat Converter


I'm running out of things that can go wrong. Any other suggestions?

Jim Behning wrote:
> just guessing.
> http://www.van-cafe.com/sp/8691V/ECUManual.pdf
This link is for the 86 and newer models....got a link for the previous
year?

Not sure of your engine nor do I know much about the Vanagons. <:-)

Yes I would think that it could go bad and cause problems. It might be on
the throttle body.
Yes bypassing it might cause a problem when the engine goes to Wide Open
Throttle. It might run too lean then.
Dealer should be able to get one for you. Also busdepot.com might have them
if you need one.

Does your engine have 4 or 5 injectors? The 5th injector could be a cold
start valve which could be faulty and dump gas into the intake/engine.

Did you electrically test the sensors and wiring at the ECM plug with a Volt
Ohm Meter?

I have seen bad/weak ign. coils cause a seemingly rich problem, but after a
new ign coil all was good.
--
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)


"*MYSTIC*" > wrote in message
s.com...
>I have way to much fuel in the exhaust of my 85 Vanagon. After reading the
>bentley manual I found it should have a 'fuel enrichment switch' that
>basically dumps fuel into the system at high rpms. Can this switch go bad
>and cause my problem? Would bypassing this switch hurt anything? And can
>anyone recommend where I could get a replacement switch if it is found to
>be faulty?
>
> Thanks
> *MYSTIC*

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:32:51 -0700, *MYSTIC* >
wrote:

>Jim Behning wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:11:02 -0700, *MYSTIC* >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I have way to much fuel in the exhaust of my 85 Vanagon. After reading
>>>the bentley manual I found it should have a 'fuel enrichment switch'
>>>that basically dumps fuel into the system at high rpms. Can this switch
>>>go bad and cause my problem? Would bypassing this switch hurt anything?
>>>And can anyone recommend where I could get a replacement switch if it is
>>>found to be faulty?
>>>
>>>Thanks
>>>*MYSTIC*
>>
>> Have you replaced the oxygen sensor assuming that this is a gas pwered
>> vehicle? The switch is nothing special. Well at least on a Rabbit or
>> Golf. You can find them at junkyards. But I do not own a Westi so I am
>> just guessing.
>> http://www.van-cafe.com/sp/8691V/ECUManual.pdf
>I've replaced alot of things...
>
>O2 sensor
>air flow meter
>fuel pressure regulator
>temp sensor 2
>Cat Converter
>
>
>I'm running out of things that can go wrong. Any other suggestions?

http://www.bus-boys.com/bb13383.htm#fuelinject

There are testing services that will flow test and clean you injectors
for about $25 a piece. Or you could buy an ultrasonic cleaner for
about $150 that might help clean the injectors. I like the idea of
having the injectors flow tested so you know that an expensive part is
not causing a problem. For my truck those injectors are about $120
each.

Someone I respect menitoned this company for injector testing.
http://www.rceng.com/service.htm One of my friends won a credit card
dispute with a dealer when they started changing parts willy nilly on
his car without fixing the problem. He sent his old working injectors
off to get flow tested and they were good.

On Jul 15, 9:11 pm, *MYSTIC* > wrote:
> I have way to much fuel in the exhaust of my 85 Vanagon. After reading
> the bentley manual I found it should have a 'fuel enrichment switch'
> that basically dumps fuel into the system at high rpms. Can this switch
> go bad and cause my problem? Would bypassing this switch hurt anything?
> And can anyone recommend where I could get a replacement switch if it is
> found to be faulty?
>
> Thanks
> *MYSTIC*

Before you do anything by way of replacement, have you run a couple of
cans of Techron (or equal) through the system? The '87 Westie we sold
recently had a similar problem on receipt that cleaned right up after
the Techron treatment (it took two tanks). And it did then pass an
honest PA Emissions Inspection. But to answer you questions: Yes, it
would "hurt" if you ever run at full-throttle (such as up any hill
steeper than 2%). And Yes, you can get such a switch, either from the
dealer (with time), or from any of several after-market sources. I
have found www.busdepot.com to be very good... and they have many
parts that they do not list on their website. I would strongly suggest
you call them, they are _VERY_ helpful over the phone.

But check that this is really the problem, and do make sure that the
system is clean and otherwise running properly. Several have suggested
you check your fuel-injectors... after and if Techron fails, start
there.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

I know you mentioned in an earlier post about replacing the fuel pressure
regulator. Did you also check/replace the vaccuum lines as well that
control it? A vacuum leak can mess it up too.

"Jim Behning" > wrote in message
news
> On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:32:51 -0700, *MYSTIC* >
> wrote:
>
>>Jim Behning wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:11:02 -0700, *MYSTIC* >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I have way to much fuel in the exhaust of my 85 Vanagon. After reading
>>>>the bentley manual I found it should have a 'fuel enrichment switch'
>>>>that basically dumps fuel into the system at high rpms. Can this switch
>>>>go bad and cause my problem? Would bypassing this switch hurt anything?
>>>>And can anyone recommend where I could get a replacement switch if it is
>>>>found to be faulty?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks
>>>>*MYSTIC*
>>>
>>> Have you replaced the oxygen sensor assuming that this is a gas pwered
>>> vehicle? The switch is nothing special. Well at least on a Rabbit or
>>> Golf. You can find them at junkyards. But I do not own a Westi so I am
>>> just guessing.
>>> http://www.van-cafe.com/sp/8691V/ECUManual.pdf
>>I've replaced alot of things...
>>
>>O2 sensor
>>air flow meter
>>fuel pressure regulator
>>temp sensor 2
>>Cat Converter
>>
>>
>>I'm running out of things that can go wrong. Any other suggestions?
>
> http://www.bus-boys.com/bb13383.htm#fuelinject
>
> There are testing services that will flow test and clean you injectors
> for about $25 a piece. Or you could buy an ultrasonic cleaner for
> about $150 that might help clean the injectors. I like the idea of
> having the injectors flow tested so you know that an expensive part is
> not causing a problem. For my truck those injectors are about $120
> each.
>
> Someone I respect menitoned this company for injector testing.
> http://www.rceng.com/service.htm One of my friends won a credit card
> dispute with a dealer when they started changing parts willy nilly on
> his car without fixing the problem. He sent his old working injectors
> off to get flow tested and they were good.

By the time you spend all that money on testing/cleaning the injectors, you
could have bought new ones and replaced them yourself.

88 VW Fox wagon. CIS. Not screw-in, press fit type injectors. Hard to
remove, but doable.
Dave

On Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:06:07 GMT, "Dave" >
wrote:

>"Jim Behning" > wrote in message
>news
>> On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:32:51 -0700, *MYSTIC* >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Jim Behning wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:11:02 -0700, *MYSTIC* >
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I have way to much fuel in the exhaust of my 85 Vanagon. After reading
>>>>>the bentley manual I found it should have a 'fuel enrichment switch'
>>>>>that basically dumps fuel into the system at high rpms. Can this switch
>>>>>go bad and cause my problem? Would bypassing this switch hurt anything?
>>>>>And can anyone recommend where I could get a replacement switch if it is
>>>>>found to be faulty?
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks
>>>>>*MYSTIC*
>>>>
>>>> Have you replaced the oxygen sensor assuming that this is a gas pwered
>>>> vehicle? The switch is nothing special. Well at least on a Rabbit or
>>>> Golf. You can find them at junkyards. But I do not own a Westi so I am
>>>> just guessing.
>>>> http://www.van-cafe.com/sp/8691V/ECUManual.pdf
>>>I've replaced alot of things...
>>>
>>>O2 sensor
>>>air flow meter
>>>fuel pressure regulator
>>>temp sensor 2
>>>Cat Converter
>>>
>>>
>>>I'm running out of things that can go wrong. Any other suggestions?
>>
>> http://www.bus-boys.com/bb13383.htm#fuelinject
>>
>> There are testing services that will flow test and clean you injectors
>> for about $25 a piece. Or you could buy an ultrasonic cleaner for
>> about $150 that might help clean the injectors. I like the idea of
>> having the injectors flow tested so you know that an expensive part is
>> not causing a problem. For my truck those injectors are about $120
>> each.
>>
>> Someone I respect menitoned this company for injector testing.
>> http://www.rceng.com/service.htm One of my friends won a credit card
>> dispute with a dealer when they started changing parts willy nilly on
>> his car without fixing the problem. He sent his old working injectors
>> off to get flow tested and they were good.
>
>By the time you spend all that money on testing/cleaning the injectors, you
>could have bought new ones and replaced them yourself.
>
>88 VW Fox wagon. CIS. Not screw-in, press fit type injectors. Hard to
>remove, but doable.
>Dave
>
Testing is about $25 an injector. On my truck injectors are about $120
each. OK say $500 for a new set versus $100 to clean and inspect. I am
I missing something in the math department? You are correct that some
cars do have remanufactured injectors available for $50 each. I see
busdepot has cleaned and tested injectors for $50 each.