Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 10:35:44 -0700
Reply-To: Richard Brassaw <sendmeanemail@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Richard Brassaw <sendmeanemail@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Help!! Funny Idle, Engine Stops
In-Reply-To: <F60Bwy5OXYirm9ezrmj0002e43f@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Craig,
When was the last time the ignition wires were changed?
I'm not really a mechanic, but I do like a good mystery. When you
described the symptoms my first impression was that it had to do with
ignition because the van runs once it is started. Because it initially
started when cold, but had trouble restarting when hot, I figure it has
to be either the ignition coil, relay switch or ignition switch. The
reason I'm thinking one of those three items is because they are cold
they work and when they've been running for awhile they heat up and
something expands breaking contact, which is why the car will start
after sitting for awhile. The other clue is that you found the plugs
weren't dancing so you changed the cap and rotor, then it started up. I
suspect that if you had just waited it would have had the same
effect-letting the ignition coil cool down. I ask about the last time
the ignition wires were changed because it is just possible that the
wire between the coil and the cap is faulty and moving it (and letting
it cool) was enough to make the connection.
Along with the coffee you've got the brains cells moving this morning.
Richard
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Craig Bodie
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 9:50 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Help!! Funny Idle, Engine Stops
This is my daily driver, so keep in mind.
Let me first give a report of the symptoms in some type of chronological
order:
First, one day I drive 50miles, and turn the van off. Then, I try to
start if back up five minutes later but it won't "fire." Van sits for
while day or two because I'm out of town. I get back and the van starts
like nothing was wrong. I go to a store, go inside, come back out, and
the van won't start. I play around with it, and it starts up. Nothing
wrong for a few weeks. . . . .
One day as I head out on a date, no fire. So I park it and replace the
distributor, rotor, and cap. Starts up, all is good. Runs good for a
few weeks.
One day it won't start, so I figure I didn't fix it before. I do some
testing and realize that the distibutor is not getting fire. I play with
it to no avail. Off to shop she goes.
The guys put a test light on the ignition wire and start messing around
with the wires and it comes on. Oh course now that all is fine they
can't find the problem. They do more testing, but cannot find a cause
so technically it's not fixed.
It runs good for a week or two and we're back to losing "fire." So now
I start wiggling wires around the fuse box and it starts up. Note:
this whole time the engine only loses fire when I'm starting it, not
while I'm driving.
So now I'm wiggling wires and whatever to get the van to fire on
occasions, maybe once every other day.
It gets worse, the van starts to "hiccup" while running at stoplights.
The frequency of the van losing fire at startup increases.
Now the van stops running whenever it wants: while driving down the
road, at a stoplight, in a parking lot. This problem is to the point
where I can no longer drive the vehicle safely.
Also, I have a hunch that rainy weather makes is worse, though lately it
has indiscriminate.
I hope this letter was informative as well as amusing. Help!!
Craig
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