Date:         Thu, 18 Sep 2003 08:14:51 -0500
Reply-To:     Scott Burchill <scott@ZOPEWORKS.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Burchill <scott@ZOPEWORKS.US>
Subject:      Engine stops, then restarts itself ... sometimes
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Help!

'87 Westy 192,000 miles, and climbing

Engine is running.  Engine stops running, like the ignition switch is
turned off.  All electrical for the rest of the car seems fine: all
dashboard elec. is fine, anyway.  If I'm moving when this happens, most
of the time I can just take my foot off the gas and coast with the
clutch engaged and the key still in the on position and the engine will
re-start before I come to a complete halt.  The times when I have come
to a complete stop before the engine kicks back on, I obviously attempt
to start.  The starter cranks, no problem, but no engine starting.  I
have been stuck anywhere from a couple seconds to 45 minutes before
restarting.  When the engine restarts it sounds perfect, just like
nothing happened.

Specifically during the 45 minutes stoppage I fiddled with every elec.
connection I could find around the engine.  Everything seemed tight.  I
had never done this before, always just waiting a couple minutes between
start attempts.  Fiddling didn't seem to help, in fact it might have
hurt since I was stuck for so long.

Bumps (rubble strips) in the road have caused the problem on one occasion.

This has happened seconds after starting the van cold and sitting still
and after having driven without incident for hours, i.e. heat doesn't
seem to be an issue.  This has happened when the van in in motion and
when not in motion.  It's been happening on and off for about three
years.  I can go months without it ever happening, then it will happen
almost every trip for a few months.  I might happen once during an hour
long trip or a number of times during a quick trip to the local grocery.
  Doesn't seem to have anything to do with weather (dry, wet, cold, hot,
etc) or time of year.

At this point I have no other issues with my van

Sorry for the long description, and Thank You, In Advance, for any
comments, suggestions, help, etc.

--

sbb

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