Date:         Sat, 26 Feb 2011 09:26:49 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Sorta Scary Event
Comments: To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <4D688F66.1060802@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 12:28 AM 2/26/2011, John Rodgers wrote:
>cold as if I had turned off the ignition. All the annunciator lights
>came on as I coasted to a stop on the side of the road. I turned the

Auto/manual?  Did you coast in gear or out of gear?  Did you cycle
the ignition while coasting in gear?'

--> Did the dropout correspond with rear wheels going over a bump?

My recommendation so far - get a spare ignition switch and keep it
handy but do not install it, just take off the steering covers and
stow them ashore for the moment.  With the switch keep a screwdriver
or other flat object of the correct size to operate the switch.

Take a working ECU from one of your other 2.1l vans and keep it in the vehicle.

Run the engine.  Wiggle all the accessible wiring to the AFM, the
coil primary, the firewall and engine head grounds.  Undo the plastic
nut holding the ECU protective cover on, lift the assembly off and
give it a few good thumps.  Wiggle the connector.

Wiggle the wiring at the ignition switch.

Wiggle the fuel pump connections.

Open the relay box on the ignition coil, wiggle the wires, tap the
relays sharply.

If none of these make the engine stumble or stop, batten down the
hatches, keep your spare ECU and ignition switch and a voltmeter
handy and wait for the next time.

Yours,
David