Cuts out for no apparent reason!

[clairev]

Hi I hope someone out there can help us. My daughter has a 1987 VWT25 autosleeper camper that she recently bought from eBay. She drove it 100+ miles back home with no problems whatsoever. The next day it cut out on her but she restarted fine. This has carried on happening at random intervals and we have no idea why. It has been in the garage now for two months but the mechanic cannot find what is wrong so it is just stuck there! He has looked through all the old paperwork and thinks it has been a recurring problem for the last couple of years but the seller didn't tell us about this at the time. In the past it looks like the mechanics have tried testing for all the obvious causes and haven't been able to get to the bottom of it. He thought he had cured it at one stage but when we went to collect it it wouldn't start - again.

Don't want to sound too dramatic but Becky (daughter) was diagnosed with brain tumour three years ago, was given 12-18 months to live, is still in remission and making the most of life. It has always been her dream to own a camper and she withdrew all her savings to buy it so she could have a summer of fun with her friends and family

If anyone out there has had the same problem and can make any suggestions we would be forever grateful. In the meantime I will get my husband to try and find out exactly what has been done so far and will post back later.

Many thanks in advance

[protexblue]

Hi
Please tell us what type of engine you have, and please give a location,
as there will probably be someone nearby who can help.

[ermie571]

sure this has all ben done....but what the heck....my starter for 10! (assuming petrol+carb)

battery earths - unscrew, clean, vaseline, replace
new cables from battery?
engine earth and gear box earth
Coil
Idle stabilisation unit
ignition control unit - fixed tight
Hall sender unit in carb
dodgy leads and plugs
petrol pump
petrol pump needle

run out of ideas now

Hope you get it sorted - you're in the right place
xx

[clairev]

Previous owner told us the engine was swapped from 1.9 to 2.1 fuel injected VW water cooled boxer but it looks to us that it has always been a 2.1. We live near Horncastle Lincs.

[ermie571]

then not much of the above is useful. Earth are ok....but there are tons of switches and sensors for controling the fuel delivery.

When it cuts out....does it go totally - ie no lights on the dash? Or do you get the oil and battery LEDs alight?

Em
x

[clairev]

yes it goes totally with no lights on dash at all. eventually the engine will start but not run, sometimes it starts and you can try and keep it going on throttle but then cuts out

edited 20.08.11 - really sorry but we have just double checked this and there is one flashing red light (oil) immediately after it cuts out

[clairev]

sorry got year wrong it is a D reg, 1987

[clairev]

what has been checked:-
fuel pump ok, battery earth terminal on bulkhead ok, ecu ok, checked for loose connections around engine bay, engine earth and gear box earth
ok. Chap at garage not back until Wednesday so we will check with what else has been checked! Thank you everyone with some help we hope to get it running for her as she's gutted at minute!

[kevtherev]

With respect if the "mechanic" hasn't found the issue by now then I think a more specialised outfit is required. The i jection system is very rudementry and not at all complicated. The AFM and ICU are the usual suspects.
However..if the 2.1 set up has not been wired up right then we could go round in circles here for another three months.
Starting with the basics
firing order is 1432
timing set at 10 deg BTDC


there's a list in the haynes rather than go on

[clairev]

Thank you kevtherev, ermie571 and everyone. My husband is speaking to the mechanic later today so will keep you posted and will certainly let you all know once we have found out what the problem is!

[clairev]

Just to keep everyone informed the mechanic has promised he will have it done and ready by Thursday

[VWCamperfan]

yes it goes totally with no lights on dash at all. eventually the engine will start but not run, sometimes it starts and you can try and keep it going on throttle but then cuts out

This sounds electrical. It also sounds like the ignition switch if you are losing all lights on dash. Check the smaller red cable coming from the battery + connector to ensure it is secure as this feeds all electrical circuits to fusebox and ignition. If this is ok, I would suspect the ignition switch.

[clairev]

Hi guys, just to keep you posted the garage has fitted a new fuel pump and camper is now running with no apparent problems - they seem to think every time the revs dropped the fuel pump cut out. Getting back tomorrow once they have given it a good drive around to double check they have solved problem. Thank you for your help and suggestions

[clairev]

Hi guys, after another £500 spent Becky collected camper from garage yesterday with new fuel pump fitted (also had MOT which passed no problem), biggest smile on her face for months when she drove it home, started it later to go see her brother and it cut out exactly same as before just round the corner from home

I have just gone through the paperwork history with a fine toothcomb and the problem seems to have started 2008 shortly after having new engine replacement fitted by Jack's Garage, VW specialists, London. Looks like previous owner purchased shortly after fault occurred and has also spent a fortune trying to get to bottom of fault. We can't afford to spend another penny as she has spent all her savings and we paid for last bill. My husband is going to get Haynes manual out and work through everything.

Can anyone out there advise what the problem could be if it has been caused by new engine replacment please. The problem is intermittent and very confusing; she drove it 150 miles back home from London when she bought it (eBay) with no problem, next day it cut out in village but restarted fine, drove it 50 miles locally no problem, went into garage for full service ready for holiday in Cornwall, set off for Cornwall and it cut out 15 miles from home and wouldn't restart, been in garage for two months since, they got it going and it ran for a day then cut out again, this week fitted new fuel pump and ran for another 60 miles before we collected it then here we are back to square one.

It has had terminals and connectors checked/cleaned, fuel pipe, electronic control unit replaced, 2 x starter motor terminals, ignition timing checked and adjusted, distributer, ECU and ignition module etc all checked and all put back, fuel sensors and terminals replaced, fuel pressure checked and is ok, there was dirt/brown deposits in old fuel pump so new one fitted, new spark plugs, split charge relay.

My husband is going to double check today re lights on ignition when cuts out and I will report back regarding this.

We will be so grateful for anyone's suggestions as my daughter's dream is spiralling into a nightmare. When the van is running it runs sweet as a nut

[clairev]

When fault first seemed to appear work done as listed on invoice:-
"Checked for fault on vehicle missfire checked all vac pipe connections, checked for fault on temp switch, fitted new connectors to temp switch, removed fuel pump wires, cleaned terminals and fitted new connectors, start up vehicle and rechecked road tested vehicle"