Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 09:46:43 -0800
Reply-To: Zeitgeist <gruengeist@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Zeitgeist <gruengeist@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: '88 GL ignition miss, stalling
In-Reply-To: <CANEuo0guP3qyUuQZoSmnB_66+ONQmnhOThcKcLUJiqcFXrnJSg@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Gregory, I think we're in the same town, so for test purposes you can
borrow the known good ECU out of my '89 Bluestar if you like.
On Tue, Feb 11, 2014 at 9:26 AM, kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <
kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:
> Greg, it could be the ECU as they are known for intermittently conking out.
> I would also suspect the coil or the wiring on the coil. Does it seem to
> happen at a certain temperature or when driving over bumps? Check the
> black wires on the coil and let me know what you find. If you are in doubt
> replace the wire ends as they can get corroded or fatigue over time and
> make an intermittent connection. When you lose connection it will feel
> like someone just shut the engine off and the tach will drop.
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 10, 2014 at 4:12 PM, Gregory Smith <gfs@gregoryfsmith.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Hi fellow listers,
> >
> > I've been struggling to fix an intermittent ignition miss on my '88 GL.
> > It started several months ago, came on gradually. At first I could feel
> > it, then I noticed the tach dropping out when it happened. Eventually it
> > would stall and restart, sometimes causing a backfire.
> >
> > Initially I suspected the ignition, so I did a full tune-up parts
> > replacement. Plugs, cap, rotor, wires. Thought it was fixed but it came
> > back in a day or two. I ran the Bentley tests. Eventually I decided
> that
> > the hall effect sensor was bad, it had a loose socket anyway. I replaced
> > that with one from another distributor and while I was at it replaced the
> > business end of the wire harness as well as the ground wire at that end,
> > they were all corroded and had bad insulation. Also replaced the
> ignition
> > switch electrical part.
> >
> > This seemed to fix it for exactly 2 months. Then it started again. I
> > ordered a new hall sensor and replaced it this past weekend. Ran the
> > Bentley tests again, everything checks out. The problem was gone for 1
> > day, came back this morning.
> >
> > I'm left with the ECU, like possibly cracked solder joints or something
> > like that, or possibly the power wire to the ECU from the alternator. I
> > read about this on the Samba, someone found this wire frayed inside the
> > insulation, under the AFM. I'll check on this today.
> >
> > Another thing that sometimes occurs that may be related, but is not
> > synchronized with this problem is sometimes while driving the seatbelt
> > warning light will come one and go back out (I think it's on a timer).
> >
> > Ideas welcome, and thanks.
> >
> > Gregory Smith
> > Olympia WA, USA
> > '88 Vanagon GL
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Thanks,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
--
Casey
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