Date:         Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:18:12 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Question about temp II sensor and bad running
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I'm starting a new thread on this because I am desperate to get the
van running... wife doesn't have a car without it right now.

In the earlier threads I started on this subject, I had the car
stranded at walmart. Removed the distributor for examination and when
I went back this morning, it started right up... meaning that
something in the car cooled down and the start was a coincidence or
else fiddling with the distributor connection solved the no-start
problem.

Then another problem appeared or else there was a related problem I
don't get. The car ran great for less than a minute and then started
running horribly. I barely made it home two miles away with a spot or
two of running great, but mostly horribly.

I have started it many times through the morning and afternoon. Same
thing always happens: starts great, runs strong, 30 seconds or a
minute later it's stumbling and then it stalls. I can do this until
the engine gets warm or let it cool and try it, the same thing
happens.

I removed the wires to the temp II sensor and jumpered the sensor
connections. No change. I removed the jumper. No change.

Ken Lewis has written and says it may yet be the hall effect sensor or
the ECU, but I don't understand how a bad connection or failed sensor
could create such a predictable situation of starting and then running
more and more poorly until a stall. Maybe it could, but I don't get
how.

Any ideas?

Thanks for hanging in there with me,

Jim