Date:         Sun, 8 Feb 2004 10:23:33 -0800
Reply-To:     Todd Last <Rubatoguy@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Todd Last <Rubatoguy@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Intermittant cut-out
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Hello Vanagonites.

My '88 camper has had the intermittent cut-out that is often described
on the list.
Specifically, drive a few miles and then the engine will act as if
someone has cut the ignition or fuel.
Sometimes flooring the gas will allow it to recover.
Usually it will act this way for a few minutes and then recover.

My Vanagon started doing this more and more consistently until one day
it would not start at all.
I initially thought it might be the relays in the black box on the
driver's side of the engine compartment - but this was not the cause.

By swapping out parts I discovered that the ECU was the problem.
I put in a spare ECU I had and it started right up, no cut out, and it
even cleaned up a rough idle I was experiencing.

It seems odd that this component would fail. I've not taken it apart yet
to see if I can discern what component might have failed.
I suppose it could be a wire in the bundle going to the ECU that simply
by installing a new one, the wire was moved to make connection again.

One thought. I had done the capacitor fix to the AFM that has been
mentioned on the list.
Has anyone else who has done the capacitor fix had their ECU
subsequently fail?


regards,


Todd
'88 Westy