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Date:         Tue, 20 Jun 2006 11:05:08 -0700
Reply-To:     Helge Weissig <helgew@GRAJAGAN.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Helge Weissig <helgew@GRAJAGAN.ORG>
Subject:      86 Westy cuts out sporadically, now won't start
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Hi,

I have read all the archive posts that I could find and am aware of many similar sounding issues that are either due to ignition switches, AFM problems, distributors broken or ECU malfunction/bad connections. My Westy's problem is hopefully one of these (it may well be more than one problem, read on!) but I wanted to see if I could maybe get some input on what I think are somewhat unique symptoms: Over the last few years I have been finding the battery completely drained in the morning after driving around a bit the previous day. I wrote this off to a ground contact somewhere that would come and go (the dead battery was unpredictable) but which I could not find. I would recharge the battery (which now, no doubt isn't the freshest anymore, but my "smart charger" did not show any fault codes and I reconditioned it just last week). However, in addition, during the last two years or so, another problem manifested itself in that the engine would suddenly cut out completely, the tachometer needle maybe doing a little spike and then going down to 0. Most times, the engine could be started again after a short time waiting at the side of the road. All other electrical systems seem to fully function, the starter would crank but the engine would not fire until all of a sudden it would come back to life. This happened about 5 or 6 times now but the van has only been driven a few hundred miles in the last year or so.

Well, last week, I was going to get it ready for the coming two months when I will need it for commuting since my folks will be borrowing my other car. I found the battery very weak and hardly able to get the starter to crank. So I recharged and reconditioned and still got no ignition (better cranking now though). I inspected the ignition cables (which look bad, am waiting for replacements on back- order), put in new spark plugs and fixed the contact on the cable going from the coil to the distributor (could someone educate me on this cable's composition, please? It does not look to be a cable at all, but rather a fibrous material sheathed in insulation). I also changed the oil since I was at it. Well, something did it (being a bit of a novice I have nevertheless ruled out the oil change as the cause here, so no jokes please! :) ) and the engine came to life immediately... only to die when I took the foot of the gas. It would start up again no problem, die again and finally run fairly smooth once the engine was warm. The idle rpms kept fluctuating though and a couple of times idle dropped again too low and the engine would quit. NB: this was a slow "dying" not like to complete cut-out I described above when driving at 45 mph or so (once at 70 mph on the freeway :( ).

Anyways, the van ran very well for a few miles and then the battery and OXS lights came on and stayed on. I had the feeling that the motor was running a little cooler and leaner than it had been too, but this is just a gut feeling I had. Well, we drove, parked, drove some more and finally drove home with a full load of kids and furniture only to have the instant cut-off happen again at 7:30 pm in the middle of an intersection 1.5 miles from my house. After endless tries (starter would crank but no ignition), the engine briefly came back to life but as soon as I took my foot off the gas to switch into 1st gear, it died again slowly and then would not start. After the AAA tow an hour later, the van now sits in the driveway waiting for your kind input and my feeble attempts to fix it.

thanks for any advice and insights you may have! My plan is to check the ignition switch first, then check for spark, check the distributor cap, maybe fiddle with the ECU housing... I am not afraid to open it up either and check the solder connections, have done some soldering before. Would even love to borrow a digitool or may build me one... in all my spare time ;)

cheers, h.

86' Westy, 224k miles


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