Vanagon EuroVan
Previous (more recent) messageNext (less recent) messagePrevious (more recent) in topicNext (less recent) in topicPrevious (more recent) by same authorNext (less recent) by same authorPrevious page (June 2001, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Mon, 11 Jun 2001 12:58:45 -0700
Reply-To:     Darrell Johnson <vanagon_carat@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Darrell Johnson <vanagon_carat@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine Cutting Out at Highway Speed
Comments: To: Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <F78S8YkdavN3qljWwY000007e12@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Mike and all,

Shooting in the dark here but could this be caused by a malfunction in one or both of the relays located in the engine compartment relay box? I've always wondered the relays' potential for malfunction, "living" in the harsh environment back there. I does seem, while one relay controls the fuel pump, the other controls the ECU, ect . . . all leading to momentary no-go if they do not supply the juice needed.

--- Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote: > Volks- > > I just sent in a long post about concerns with my > recently installed > re-built engine. Another problem that has cropped > up is certainly not > related to the engine itself, but to the control > systems, so I am posting > this separately. > > Last fall I had an episode where I was driving down > the road, and the engine > just cut out for an eyeblink. It did that several > times one afternoon. I > noticed once that the tach needle dropped a lot, but > each time it was too > brief to look at the gauges or the digitool > readings. > > Joel Walker and another helpful soul suggested that > the ECU might be > grounding against the bolt on the westy back seat, > so I taped over that. It > happened once more, and then not again over the > winter. > > After I put my new engine in, I put about 800 miles > on with no cutting out > problems. In the last month, however, on a couple > of short road trips, it > has happened several times. > > In both cases I drove 60 miles in the morning with > no problems, and then in > the evening coming back, I had three or four > episodes where for an eyeblink, > the engine cut out. Yesterday I was driving with my > lights on, and noticed > that when it happened, the digitool lights would go > off, and the tach needle > would drop a lot. The dash lights and radio stayed > on. > > With the engine running I have tried - > > tapping on the case the ecu is mounted in with a > hammer > wiggling the wire connector to the ecu > wiggling all of the wires and connections I could > find in the engine > compartment > vigorously moving the key in the ignition > > > Ran fine. > > I am considering - > > Only driving in the morning > Replacing the ECU with my spare (unfortunately not > set up to connect to the > digitool) > Finding more connections to wiggle > > It doesn't look like it's the main power system, or > the dashboard lights and > radio would have cut off. Last year I went through > all of the grounds I > could find, cleaned the connections and applied > connector grease, so it > could be a ground problem, but I don't think so. > > Is there a relay I should check? > > Any other suggestions? > > > - Mike Finkbiner > '87 Westy > Moscow, Idaho > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

===== Darrell Johnson Mission Viejo, CA 1990 Vanagon Carat (w/LT27X8.5-14 Dunlops)

__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.