This is a post that I posted yesterday on a Bus "specific" forum...thought it wouldn't hurt to post here too...the "local import store is Tristate

For the past several days, I have been noticing that my '78 has been wanting to stall out at idle (at red lights, in my daughter's school drop-off line, etc.). Today, it was doing it as well, so I stopped off at my local Import Parts store (local, as in 20 miles from home) to get some advice and prices on parts. When I was done, I was heading home when Oscar just died while going down the road. I had enough momentum to pull into a parking lot to see what was wrong. I couldn't tell what was wrong.

Back up to yesterday...thinking that the Pertronix was "going bad", I put the points and condenser back in. I didn't know that the Pertronix, when bad, just dies without warning. It still wanted to stall even with the points in. I replaced the dist. cap and rotor button as well. Still wanted to stall. Made sure that all the vaccuum hoses were connected (they were replaced back in March). I have yet to get in there and check out the FI components. I don't have a fuel pressure gauge, but I am going to get a gauge and some hose and make one ASAP.

Back to today...my wife had called yesterday and cancelled our Allstate RV Roadhelp membership. The assistant told her that we were paid up till September 29th. Wouldn't you know that I had to use a tow just a few days before it expired and one day after cancelling? What luck. I think I might call them back and tell them to forget cancelling our membership. Anyway, Oscar is home and in my garage. I want to start diagnosing what could be wrong. The guy at the Import store, who I buy all my parts from also has a shop in the same building. I asked him if he works on the FI models. He told me yeah, he does. But what he does is convert them to carbueration. I don't want that. He also said that if he doesn't convert, he just replaces part by part until the right part fixes it. I told him that sounded awfully expensive. He did give me a box of FI parts that were given to him for me to try out, use what I need, pay for what I use, and give him back the rest.

I'm going to opt for the cheaper way of tracking down what is wrong. Any ideas, hints, tips, tricks, etc.? I haven't had any problems with the FI thus far, so I don't have any related experience to go by. Of course I have the Bentley, the Haynes, and the Idiot guide to go help me along. I've been studying up on the Bentley FI testing techniques, just haven't done them yet.
I have to get Oscar back on the road. I plan on taking him to Bug Jam in Florida in November.
Thanks in advance.

Travis, Before you start condeming the big stuff, make sure that the basics are there. Fuel,air, elec.    Your van being as original as it is, you should be able run the problem down with the Bently book, a good volt/ohm meter and pressure guage. Poor grounds,air leaks , bad elec. connections are common problems.You might take a peek at your head sensor around the number 3 cly. area. This sensor has a nasty habit of getting corroded in the cly. head. You can take the thing out and clean the threads and ck ohm value with your meter. I belive Bently tells you how to ck.  Keep us posted.

I replaced the hoses coming from plenum to brake booster/manifold connection, from "S" pipe to aux. air regulator, all small vaccuum lines, from aux. air regulator to air manifold, and even the "S" pipe.  The braided hose from air plenum to "S" pipe was not replaced, and the one from "S" pipe to oil breather box was also not replaced.  Both of them had good ends and close "visual inspection" proved them to be OK.  Any hose that looked supsect was replaced.

OK, did a diagnostic test on the combi relay.  

Current supply:
From terminal 85 to 88y, light comes on.  From 85 to 88z, light comes on.  Both tests passed.
With ignition in running position, from 85 to 86c, light comes on.  While running the starter, same terminals looped, light comes on; 85 to 86a, light comes on.  These tests passed.

Relay function:
While running the starter, 85 to 88d, light doesn't come on.  Running the starter, 85 to 88b, no light.  According to the Bentley, these tests failed.

So I took the combi relay from Sweetpea, and put it on Oscar.  The engine started and ran.  Checked on it in 5 minutes and it was still running.  Revved it up and waited again.  Still running, no bogging down. Could it be so simple?  

Looking at the wiring diagram, the terminal 88b "supplies power" to the injectors through the series resistance block to points 14, 32, 15, and 33 of the CPU?

Not done yet...

Travis, I knew you would find it.  The double relay has always been a problem, even on the type-1 injected engine

I've never messed with fuel injection, but I have ran into a lot of electrical problems on old VWs that fixed themselfs when I unhooked connections and hooked them back up.  Over time, the connectors can get corrosion built up on them and start to lose contact.  Unplugging them and hooking them back up will sometimes knock off enough of the corrosion to let it make contact again.

I meant to tell you last night but Ace Hardware and probably any of the home stores carry a tube of stuff in the "electrical" section called Ox-Gard. It comes in a small tube and I just put it on the connectors before pluging them in. This is supposed to stop and prevent the oxidation build up.

I meant to tell you last night but Ace Hardware and probably any of the home stores carry a tube of stuff in the "electrical" section called Ox-Gard. It comes in a small tube and I just put it on the connectors before pluging them in. This is supposed to stop and prevent the oxidation build up.

But what's the fun in doing it once and not having the same problem in a couple of months?   :lol:   I'll bet the stuff Ace has is Di-electric (SP?) grease.  Most any parts store should carry some brand of the stuff.  Get a good clean connection, once, use some of the stuff on it, seals out the moisture . . . no more corrosion . . . but like said, what's the fun in that?  

Crazy.  I just caught up on this thread (my own thread...where have I been?).  I had already stopped today and got some di-electric grease in a pressurized can.  I had already bought some contact cleaner and lubricant from Radio Shack months ago.  I am going to clean the contacts with that and then put some of that di-electric grease on there.  
I went around today and packed each of my pigtails for trailer lights with the grease.
I haven't had a chance to take Oscar back out on the road since pulling him out of the garage.  I'm going to try tomorrow when I don't have kids with me.  I don't need them with me if I break down again.