Date:         Sun, 27 Feb 2011 02:49:27 -0600
Reply-To:     Gary Anderson <gary.anderson@USM.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Gary Anderson <gary.anderson@USM.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Sorta Scary Event
In-Reply-To:  <20110226225924.34363286785D@bsfw.usm.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

John Rodgers wrote:

> Subject: Sorta Scary Event
> 
>  Driving along the highway tonight, the engine just suddenly quit as
> 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
> ignition off, then back on, then to start, and it fired right up, and
> didn't fault again. For the engine to do that - even once - says I have
> a problem. But where to even start looking I don't have a clue. It
> didn't even sputter. It was like someone threw the "Off" switch - but
> the ignition switch was on of course. What might cause a blatant engine
> stoppage that way? It didn't even sputter.
> 
> If it happened once - it WILL happen again.

I can "out-scary" this, as the same thing happened to me on a couple of occasions (so yes, it WILL). Interestingly, both times in Alabama. My experience the first time was similar to yours- I coasted to stop, then turned the ignition off and back on and drove away. The second time, it happened while I was driving through the I-10 tunnel in Mobile, where coasting to a stop on the side of the road didn't seem like a viable option. I turned the ignition key to the off position while going about 50 m.p.h.(!) then back on and everything was good. After about a year of seemingly random and intermittent problems with the van, I ultimately discovered that one of the FI wires had been damaged due to compression by the AC motor and was creating a short. Since that wire was repaired, the "sorta scary event" never recurred, so I assume that the short circuit was the culprit. You might want to check for the possibility of similar electrical issues in your place.

Good luck,
Gary Anderson