Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 06:29:13 -0800
Reply-To: "Mark L. Hineline" <hineline@OCOTILLOFIELD.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Mark L. Hineline" <hineline@OCOTILLOFIELD.NET>
Subject: Re: engine dies while driving - possible causes?
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTi=Ny+YyHwGZHk5peY53FaXYtM7iSKDtHc++irCG@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
Joy, have you tried turning on your lights while running. If the
problem is alternator or battery, turning on the lights will stop your
engine. If it doesn't, the problem is elsewhere. At least, this is the
case for aircooled engines.
Mark
On Dec 27, 2010, at 6:04 AM, Joy Hecht wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> I was going to take my van to Washington yesterday, but I'm having a
> problem
> - thank goodness my friends in NJ let me take their second car
> instead!
> (and thank goodness I missed the blizzard in NJ)
>
> The symptom is that the engine dies. This happened in October (when
> I was
> heading out to Westies at Watkins - some might remember that I
> showed up 12
> hours late due to van trouble). I started to drive, stopped at a
> stop sign,
> and the engine died and wouldn't start again. In October I had it
> towed to
> the local repair place (which has worked on my van before, they seem
> to know
> what they are doing). They replaced the alternator. I drove to
> Watkins
> Glen & back with no trouble.
>
> Since then, the van has mostly been parked in my friends' driveway
> in NJ -
> they haven't been driving it. In November I came back to NJ from
> overseas.
> Headed out somewhere and the engine died again. But then five
> minutes later
> restarted, I drove maybe 50 miles with no trouble. Then the poor
> van sat
> for another four weeks. Last week I figured I should check it -
> took her
> out on a short errand, no problems.
>
> Then yesterday morning before heading to DC I figured I'd let her
> warm up a
> bit - she sat running for 5-10 minutes. Then I got in, was just
> sitting in
> the van and the engine died. Started up without trouble, so I drove
> around
> the block, but it died again en route - then started up okay. So I
> parked
> her back in the driveway, dumped my stuff in my friends' car, and
> headed to
> DC.
>
> I'm guessing (based on not much knowledge) either that I need a new
> battery
> or that the alternator they put in is bad. But are there other
> problems
> that might cause this? I'm about to go overseas again for another
> four
> weeks, but I'd like to get it fixed before I go.
>
> Suggestions?
>
>
>
> Joy
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