Skip to main content
vanagon.com
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
VanagonEuroVan
Subject:Engine Control Unit (ECU) Problems?
From:Sam Moore
Date:Mon, 7 Jul 97 16:01:20 -0400

Hi All,

For the last week or so my 84 westy has started and then as I put into 
gear to back out of the drive way and press on the accelerator it would 
die. I could start it up as soon as I touched the gas it would die.  I 
also noticed the idle was only around 800 rpm.

If I kept the engine running for 15 minutes till the temp came up to 
nominal it would eventually run and the idle would move to the normal 900 
rpm.

I took it to my trusted VW mechanic to diagnose.

He called me back and said it was ready the next morning.

I fired it up and the problem had not gone away.  The mechanic came out 
as I was trying to hold my temper and start the engine and popped the 
boot and jiggled the ECU harness and viola.

After a call from the owner, he offered me a couple of suggestions short 
of replacing the ECU.

1. Put dielectric grease on the #2 pin to decrease oxidation on the 
connection and improve the connection.

2. Install the $150 transformer from VW.

BTW pin #2 on the unit looked bent on the harness.
I cleaned it, tried to straighten it, and cleaned the contacts on the ECU 
as well.
I drove it over the weekend. It ran great.

I am very concerned that this is going to be a problem that will reoccur 
just when I really need to depend on the vehicle.

Does anyone have a similar experience and possible solutions?

Thanks,

Sam More

Sam Moore

84'Westy /Wolfsburg Ed.
814 Glendover Cove * Lexington, KY * 40502
606-269-0933 * 606-268-2724

Have something to add on this topic today? Revive this thread in the forum »