Following.? I've got the same issue.? I'm located in San Diego.? Let's compare notes and quotes.? My rust has been pretty bad.? Wish I dealt with it earlier.

I've got bad rust around my spider web windshield, along a rear and a side window, and along the foot well.??

Don't end up with a bad TCM -?

Luckily, swapping that took care of it.

Hello, Curtis,

I don’t recommend aiming a parts cannon to “fix” stuff unless you know the part you're buying is the fix. But if you already have a known-good part available (free), then it's reasonable to swap the part.

Based on the symptoms you provided… and understanding I’m only guessing based on my experience.

And also understanding for most of stuff I’m suggesting here, you’ll need a scope, a multimeter, and some experience or someone who knows what to look for and/or how to interpret waveform data. If you’re a gung-ho? DIY’er, then jump on the internet. Lots of excellent video tutorials available by some amazing auto techs who willingly share their expertise with everyone.

1. Vacuum leak (unmetered air) - as rpm's and run-time increase, the ride smooths out. The engine gets hotter, and heat tends to minimize or nearly "fix" small vacuum leaks at cylinder heads and valve cover and other places so the ECU doesn’t go bonkers with unmetered air and flood the fuel injectors. So check for leaks at egr, pcv (sticking pcv can cause idle and other performance issues), air flow meter, brake booster (although the booster can be trickier to diagnose), any place there’s a grommet, hose, gasket or mating surface on engine. Really easy and cheap to diy test for many vacuum leaks with a spray bottle of water. Lots of excellent videos online. Go deeper using a vacuum gauge and/or smoke machine. Easy to setup.

2. Fuel pressure regulator is getting “stuck” but gets happy at higher rpm. Many regulators have a rubber o-ring seal. Sometimes those get smooshy-brittle and leak. You’ll need to test fuel pump pressure as other posters suggested and check before/after regulator and filter. A related issue is intermittent voltage drop to the fuel pump from the fuel pump relay. If power is being restricted to the fuel pump, the pump won’t pump the correct pressure or volume of fuel. In your case, most of the performance issue is at lower rpm, not highway driving…so inclined to think may not be the pump pressure or volume per se unless…

3. Fuel pump is ready to go – you’ll need pump specs, a scope and a multimeter to really test this, maybe a little experience as well to understand/interpret waveforms and because you’ll be checking grounds and power from the engine bay to the fuel pump.

4. Fuel injectors – really need a scope on these and check against ignition spark and crank. Are they the original 140,000 mile injectors? Ever been replaced/removed/cleaned?

5. MAF sensor – needs cleaning or needs replacing. Even with a scope this is a difficult sensor to troubleshoot. You’ll need a scope, multimeter, experience. And you’ll need to perform drive cycles. Even then, it can be a crapshoot, especially if no codes.?

6. IAC – Idle Air Control valve needs cleaning or is faulty. Not sure if your vehicle has one.

7. PCV sticking sometimes but related to air leak. Easy to check. Make sure to check grommet if it has one. If it’s rubber, it likes to leak. So check for vacuum leak. Don’t buy a new pcv if the installed pcv checks okay. That’s money you can save for a cheap burger. If you have to buy new, then make sure to get the grommet as well. ?

8. ECT. Faulty Engine Coolant Temp sensor. If temp sensor misreports, then ECU adjusts fuel because it thinks the engine isn’t running at proper temp (adds fuel if it thinks it’s “cold” which is part of reason why rpm higher on startup). Easy to test…but a real pain to get out sometimes. This is a rare issue.

If I were the tech, I’d be asking questions and looking at stuff:

How long have these symptoms been present (when did you notice and why)?
What time of day?
Are symptoms present all the time or intermittent?

What color is the exhaust at idle? After sitting all night or day? At running temp? After driving for 15 minutes on the highway?

Any fuel smell in the engine compartment?

Any wetness near the fuel injectors or fuel pressure regulator?

How’s gas mileage?

Any strange noises from the engine compartment?

What’s your air filter look like?
Battery at full charge and getting charged properly?

Were any other parts replaced before or besides the computer?

What happens when you stomp on the accelerator (wot – wide open throttle)?

What happens to rpm when you turn on a/c (if you have a/c)?

Surprising the ECU replacement “fixed” anything. It's more typical for something to get "fixed" unknowingly when a tech is banging around in the engine bay -?if the stalling is still fixed as you say – excellent!. Replacing an ECU is a big deal. It’s more typical for techs not to perform a proper drive-cycle relearn pattern when an ECU is replaced. So what you get is the default performance protocol from the ECU until the ECU adjusts itself for the signals from input/output sensors and then sends its corrections to some sensors…so from air flow to fuel to spark, the big three of any combustion engine and from evap system. Performance can change after the default system is adjusted real-time from sensors.?

Here’s my list. I keep a check-off list of everything I pack so I know when I leave home, I have it all. YMMV depending on your travel and camping style. I am often on very remote Forest Service and BLM roads.

?

• Phone – with maps and many other relevant apps. That would be another good list.
• Garmin InReach satellite messenger
• AAA card
• Flashlights and headlamps
• Tool bag –small collection of the usual mechanic tools
• Electrical tools and supplies; multi-meter, 16-gauge wire, wire cutters, butt splices

• Self-bonding super tape

• Shovel
• GoTreads traction grids - for sand or snow
• Extra key – hidden in an outside lock box
• Lithium jump starter battery pack – can start the rig if necessary or power any device on board. I also have jumper cables though they might be obsolete with the lithium battery
• Tow strap
• Air in a can
• 12V compressor
• Work gloves
• Fire extinguisher
• Beer – in case all else fails. Or not.

Spare parts

• Serpentine belt
• Voltage regulator
• Hose clamps
• Motor oil

?

?

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of stevekrival
Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2022 11:26 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [eurovanupdate] Which Tools & Parts Would You Recommend for a Road Trip? 2001 Eurovan Camper #partswanted

?

I am hitting the road in my 2001 Eurovan Camper (86K Miles) for an extended road trip. Which tools and spare parts would you take with you? In the past I have taken: 1. A canvas repair kit; 2. various screwdrivers and wrenches 3. Tire iron, jack, and gloves, good spare tire; 4. freon leak detector and yellow glasses; 5. error code detector. What other useful tools should I consider?

Hey folks,

I've been pretty quiet for a while but I've been able to start tackling some EV projects and I have some questions for the group.?

One thing I've wondered is if this is the best place still to post questions.? There seem to be more forums out there now and Samba is more active with EV conversation as they age. Facebook groups seem to get a ton of traffic but not quite as expert advice.? Where do you find the best information?

To my topic, I've been battling with my 210,000 5spd being hard to get into 1st gear for a while and last year 5th gear started to not want to mesh up easily.? I replaced all the linkage bushings again and really paid a lot of attention to the adjustment of the shift rod and it still wasn't as good as I was hoping.??

I decided to change the fluid since I couldn't remember when but I was sure that I had changed it in the last 100k/15 years.? I discovered that it was low (I was sure I had checked at some point) and the fluid was quite nasty. It looked more like dirty motor oil and there was a fair amount of nastiness looking in the fill hole.

I refilled with the Redline fluid that GoWesty sells and have driven about 10k on it since. It feels good and goes into 1st consistently and easily.? 5th is still a difficult speed meshing of the syncro to get it into gear, especially after it warms up.

I'm curious if anyone has had trouble with the Redline oil over VW spec oil?? I have a faint memory of using an aftermarket oil in my Jetta TDI manual and I didn't like it and went back to stock for similar reasons.

Also, I'm curious if anyone has ever put Seafoam or similar in a manual trans to clean it up?? I've never seen anyone mention it.

Thanks for your help and I still follow all the posts on this group as it has certainly saved me over the years, not to mention the files section.
Kent

I am hitting the road in my 2001 Eurovan Camper (86K Miles) for an extended road trip. Which tools and spare parts would you take with you? In the past I have taken: 1. A canvas repair kit; 2. various screwdrivers and wrenches 3. Tire iron, jack, and gloves, good spare tire; 4. freon leak detector and yellow glasses; 5. error code detector. What other useful tools should I consider?