van Aaken blues

[Blakers]

My buddy with the van Aaken c3. 2 duration box had a little trouble today. He said he washed his truck yesterday, including under the hood. Since it was getting late, he didn't run the truck afterwards. Today when he went to start it to leave for work, the engine started and went straight to the red line and stayed there until he turned the key off. Each time he tried it, it did the same thing.



Upon investigation he pulled the plug from the VA control box and found it full of water. After drying it out, he fired up the truck again and found it ran a little better, but missed and drifted around in rpm. He decided to pull the whole VA unit off and see what happened. Everything was fine, so off to work he went.



He said the VA box never let him down before and never caused a bit of trouble - ever - and has performed perfectly for almost two years.



He wanted me to ask you guys if you thought the box would be ok once everything dried out and if anyone else has had a problem like this.



Thanks.

 

[Mark Craig]

Blakers,

Hhe must have really pounded the module with the water as the van Aaken has one the the most water proof boxes out there, possible the plug wasn't fully seated too because then the seal won't be working too!



Either way have him unclip the top from the bottom of the box and get the circuit board out in the open air to dry ASAP, corrosion sets up fast in circuit boards if they get wet. Plus he gets to see what he bought, the van aakens have way more circuitry than most and are really a work of art if you like electronics etc. When he's sure it's dry snap it and make sure the O ring is in place and try her out!



Mark @ DPPI

 

[Blakers]

Thanks Mark! I will give him the message and get him to take the box apart asap. Hopefully it will dry out and be fine.

 

[BigQ]

may i also recommend getting some electronic contact cleaner and spraying the PCB for any moisture. Kinda scary if he can get the box open though, how water proof is it? I would also use some electrical grease on the box and connector for future prevention. Like he said PCB will get corrosion fast.

 

[p-Bar]

Try some WD-40 (water displacing)

 

[Blakers]

Thanks. I think I have some contact cleaner I can take over there. And some silicone grease.

 

[Mark Craig]

BigQ,



They are snapped together and use o ring type seals like a GM weather pack electrcial connector, actually the best out there. That's why I wondered if one of the wiring harness connections wasn't fully "seated" if not the seal won't be eccective etc.



Mark @ DPPI

 

[Blakers]

Mark, it very well may have not been plugged in completely.



When you say it's the best out there, do you mean it's construction, or do you mean it's the best power box out there for the application?

 

[Mark Craig]

Blakers,



Well sort of both, the box and such it is built to fit in is used by lots of folks for off road use for electronics, it's pretty much top of the line. The products themselves are very good, maybe not the hottest HP levels but for folks that want a nice HP upgrade and aren't concerned with MAX HP it's a great way to go, plus they are usually less money per HP too as compared to some other products etc.



You'll also find in their 24 valve (1998. 5-2002) boxes that the HP comes in a little sooner and has more Grunt off the line etc than others.



Mark @ DPPI