Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:06:42 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: '88 GL intermittent ignition miss (second update)
In-Reply-To: <52925301.5030207@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
I'll send you a 2.1 distributor with a brand new Hall Sender installed....
you put it in your van..
and if it's fixed permanently ..
I'll accept the Lancia Scorpion as payment.
or maybe trade a vanagon . ? ..
I have 11 and don't think I need that many.
Olympia Wa ..rather a damp ( rust promoting ) climate for a rare car
like that.
I have a very dry climate location for it.
Scott
On 11/24/2013 11:26 AM, JRodgers wrote:
> Gregory,
>
> My 88GL was doing the same thing. Driving along, it would just go stone
> cold dead. Nothing. As it would slow down from being "dead" it would
> suddenly start again. Finally, it died completely. I have not repaired
> it yet - but everything I have checked indicates its the hall sensor. I
> have another distributor on another engine and I'm going to test that
> when I can get to it. Then I will know for sure and for certain. Going
> to be a bit, though. Going through some after knee surgery issues.
> Prol'ly be after Thanksgiving or so before I can get back to it.
>
> John
>
> On 11/24/2013 12:22 PM, Gregory Smith wrote:
>> Well shoot. I still can't find the fault.
>>
>> I've checked the wiring, fusebox, ran all the tests. It hasn't faulted
>> except on the road, and can be so bad as to not restart sometimes. Do
>> hall senders do this? Intermittent?
>>
>> When it happens, it's definitely ignition failure, and it can cause that
>> "backfire" noise through the exhaust when the ignition comes back
>> online. The tach shows the ignition cutting out. I have a test light
>> on the (15) terminal of the coil to see if it loses power when it
>> faults, but of course it hasn't done it since I hooked up the test
>> light.
>>
>> The coil tests good, the wiring checks out, ignition switch good (new).
>> The testing suggests it's either a faulting hall sender or ECU. Anyone
>> have similar symptoms and how did you resolve it?
>>
>> Gregory Smith
>> '88 Vanagon GL
>> '77 Lancia Scorpion
>> Olympia, WA
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: Re: '88 GL intermittent ignition miss (update)
>> From: mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net <mailto:mdrillock@cox.net>>
>> Date: Thu, November 21, 2013 12:15 pm
>> To: Gregory Smith <gfs@GREGORYFSMITH.COM
>> <mailto:gfs@GREGORYFSMITH.COM>>, Vanagon mailing list
>> <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com <mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>>
>>
>> It is good to have a working throttle switch but I doubt it will
>> fully
>> solve your symptoms. It primarily is needed to tell the ECU and idle
>> control unit that you foot is off the gas. Unless the switch is
>> sticking
>> closed it won't come into play just cruising down the road under
>> power.
>> To test that it isn't sticking and thus causing a problem while
>> cruising
>> you can unplug the connector to it and see if the cruising problem
>> clears up.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>> Gregory Smith wrote:
>> > A further update to my problem. Turns out the bad distributor
>> harness
>> > wiring, while truly frightening, was not the cause of this
>> problem I was
>> > having. Driving it the following day revealed the problem was
>> still
>> > there, and getting worse.
>> >
>> > I downloaded the Digifant troubleshooting pages following a
>> link on
>> > VanCafe, discovering later they're also in my Bentley. Ran
>> through the
>> > tests, checks and adjustments to find my Throttle Position
>> Switch not
>> > closing when the throttle closed. First checked via human ear,
>> then
>> > with VOM. Adjusted and retested to ensure switch closure with
>> throttle.
>> > Not clear if something wore out of adjustment or what there, I
>> have not
>> > touched it previously in a few years of ownership.
>> >
>> > Next day (yesterday) driving revealed no symptoms. I'm not
>> 100% sure of
>> > this fix yet, but compared to the night before (had to pull
>> over twice
>> > because of the problem) it's 100% better at least. Will report
>> back
>> > later today.
>>
>
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