Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2010, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:   Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:43:16 -0800
Reply-To:   Trooz <trooz@ROADRUNNER.COM>
Sender:   Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:   Trooz <trooz@ROADRUNNER.COM>
Subject:   electrical problem
Content-Type:   text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

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


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.