Date:         Fri, 6 Aug 2010 13:24:05 -0600
Reply-To:     "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\"" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\"" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mystery engine cutouts
Comments: To: Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTik+rW5HuKAUtLqQYLNnsykGMmveVYXh1p74AeDF@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed

Loren Busch wrote:

> Mike, your description comes very very close to describing "Vanagon
> Syndrome" or as VW described it in their service bulletin
> "Intermittent Driveability Issues".  That or a bad/intermittent
> electrical connection. Next time this happens try pulling over,
> shutting the engine off and then back on again.  With Vanagon
> Syndrome this resets the ECU and things should then be normal for
> from five seconds to five years, that's why it's called intermittent.
>
Thanks, Loren.

I did, at one point, turn off the engine to get some groceries. This did
not fix the problem - it reoccurred on the next climb, which was the
last climb of the day.


Zolly wrote:
> I had cut-outs when my fuel pump got too warm.  Apperently the
> brushes when they are too old, barely touch the rotor to give juice.
> Your case feels to be something else though.

Thanks, Zoltan -- why does it feel different? The mixture meter showed a
fully-lean condition during shut-down which had me wondering about a
plugged fuel filter, but I could not see a way for it to unplug itself,
reliably, after 3 to 4 seconds of pluggedness. That said, it's not clear
to me why the fuel pump would only pick times when I was driving
steadily at 3,000 - 3,800 rpm, on an uphill to take a break. Although,
with an AT, it's possible it was shutting down on the flats, too, and I
might not see it, although I was paying close attention hoping to catch
it in the act.

--
Rocky J Squirrel