Particulars: 1990 Westy, 217K on original engine. Today I went out to run some errands and the van wouldn't start. Cranked as usual, but no start. It always starts right up, but not this time. Let it sit, tried again, no start. Let it sit, tried again, and it started. After several miles I was rolling along at about 45-50 mph and it just died. The tack dropped to zero, I lost power, and as suddenly as the power left it came back. This was just a fraction of a second. A mile or two down the road it did it again, but this time for maybe two or three seconds, and as I was pulling to the side of the road it came to life again. Then again about a mile later, only this time it was dead. I put my flashers on, but they didn't work. I tried to start it a couple of times, no go. I hit the flasher switch a couple of times and suddenly they started working, then I tried to start it again and it came to life. Then I had an uneventful drive back home.

Now I'm afraid to try to go anywhere. I checked the battery terminals for loose connections; everything seems fine. I don't have a clue as to where to start looking, and since it's intermittent I'm afraid that a shop wouldn't be able to replicate the problem.

I wondered about the ignition switch itself, so when I got home I fussed with it some without turning the engine off but no amount of jiggling and wiggling the key in the ignition produced anything.

I guess I'll go out and start pulling and re-seating relays, checking and cleaning grounds, etc., but other than that I'm clueless as to what it might be. If I remember corectly, I had the usual red leds and could hear the fuel pump pressurize as I switched the ignition on each time.

I'm hoping that some of you electrical wizards on the list will recognize that symptom and have some feedback for me.

TIA

Bob Trousdale '90 Westy