stock shift light?

[Phil Payne]

> yes, it's an upshift light.  there is a relay type thing that controls
> it, based mostly on info from a little vacuum switch installed in the
> advance hose to the distributor, and disabled by the 5th gear switch
> (and maybe reverse too?) on the tranny.  typically.

When I bought the old Passat from our treasurer I did the usual check,
including a MityVac on all those lines.  Nuttin'.

So I checked around.  One line was chafed through - replaced it, still
nuttin'.  Diagnosed the vacuum advance unit on the distributor - replaced
it for not much more (in VW terms) than $0.02; and voila - good vacuum and
proper advance.

Also suddenly had an upshift light.  I bought the car with 112k miles on
it - John had had it since 8k miles and therefore driven a total of 104k
miles.  Called him about something else and mentioned it.

"What upshift light?  Car's never had an upshift light."

I suspect he'd driven over 100k miles with no vacuum advance.  He sold the
car to me in part because of its high fuel consumption.

Duh?

--
  Phil Payne
  http://www.isham-research.com
  +44 7785 302 803
  +49 173 6242039