Date:         Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:17:09 -0700
Reply-To:     Thomas Pfrommer <pfrommer@PHAS.UBC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Thomas Pfrommer <pfrommer@PHAS.UBC.CA>
Organization: University of British Columbia
Subject:      Electric problem in 2.1l
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi everyone,

its been a long time since I am posting here, which is a good sign as it
means the van is running (I am still following the list but can't really
help to contribute). Well this is not the case any more and I hope I can
get some good hints.
Occasionally (and lately more and more often) suddenly the red water
temperature warning light starts to flash, then the rpm meter shows
weird behavior (not related to the engines rpm) and then the engine
stops. The coolant temperature is not too high and also I have a full
coolant tank. It seems to be connected to how much electrical equipment
is running, hence if my head lights are on and I brake the described
behavior occurs. Or if the radio is on and so on, .... it first came
when I had the Hi-beam on on the highway to the Okanagan in British
Columbia in the middle of nowhere .... luckily with the van you can just
stop and sleep and wait for the next day to not drive with lights (I
first thought about the light fuses).
So I checked the fuses and all relays seem to be OK (I can't see any
black locations that would indicate some failure).
Hm, somewhere I have a bad connection but where and how can i find this
out? And if I draw too much current a short happens and all is out,
..... at least thats what I think....
Do you have an idea how I could carry on with testing to check where
this problem comes from? I was looking at the wiring in the Bentley but
could not come to one conclusive idea where this problem happens. The
thing that the engine stops is hard to grep, as it could be the fuel
pump the ignition system or something else, .... so I don't know at what
wiring I should start, ....

Thanks already for the help
Thomas