2.1 DJ. Syncro. Total cut out when driving.

[KarlT]

Hi all, (again)
Back to my 2.1DJ again. Had problems last month with high tick-over & poor running.
Changed the stabilizer air-valve (cylinder on to of engine) and the electric box of tricks behind O/S rear light.
Set-timing & all was right with the world!!

2 weeks ago, van featured a sudden stall/cut-out will driving at about 30mph. Coasted to a stop. Tried to start engine. Started but with very very low tick-over & absolutely no power. Accelerator made no difference. Just ticked over at circa 250rpm.
Went round fiddled with wires, pushed connectors. 5 mins later (second attempt) engine started & drove normally.
All good for 10 days.
Then today, sudden cut-out, stall, started, but no power again, very low revs.
Was running late for childs award thingy, so had to leave bus & catch taxi..... Just made it in time!

What can it be, i'm thinking must be electrical..... ECU?

[Dave Cook]

Might sound dumb but I ended up replacing most of my injection system and ignition components before finding that the fuel tank was full of rust. Van didn't misfire but just had no power, I checked fuel flow and seemed ok but in desperation I replaced the nearly new fuel filter and then sectioned the one I'd taken off - full of rusty sludge, dropped the tank and there was 1/4" of rusty sludge at the bottom.

[KarlT]

Thanks for your thoughts Dave, Van has had new lines & tank about 18 mths back.
Called the AA out, guy was very helpful. He's 99% certain its a faulty air-flow meter.
Most of the time it works fine & meters air/fuel correctly. But sometimes it sticks & floods engine with fuel, hence stalling or very poor running with no power.
It all makes sense to me (but what do I know!! ). Will follow this up, replace unit & let you know out come. It may help others.

[KarlT]

Hi all.
It is on Mech-help but I know there are some clever people on here that may not look over there.......

Still confused by my problem.
Driving along at 20mph today. Done about 4 miles. Stalled. Coasted to stop. Starts but feels like running on 2, real lumpy, accelerator makes no difference.
Open hatch, looked at engine, didn't touch anything. Restarted feels fine, reved, drove 3 metres, stalled.
Sat there thinking What the blithering heck. Restarted felt fine, drove half mile home.

From advice (here/RAC etc) Have changed, stabilizer cylinder, electronic behind O/S rear light, air-flow meter/filter.

What can it be? I'm thinking electrical, Could it be coil?

Help!

[syncropaddy]

Why are you thinking fuel? Is there a smell of petrol at all?

[silverbullet]

Clogged fuel filter? Faulty fuel rail pressure regulator?

Does it splutter or just die like the ignition's been switched off? Might be the coil or TCI is at deaths' door. Spark any good (fat and blue-white) or poor (feeble and yellow)

[jed the spread]

Might be worth looking at the contacts on the fuel pump, mine cut out a couple of times and it got me worried but Russel pointed me in the right direction. Its been good as gold since, stupid place to leave the pump though that far down

jed

[syncroduff]

Hi have a look at wiki at section 5.1 engines 2.1 mv specific vanagon syndrom had this happen to me. If you go for this and have a problem getting a cap maplin do stock them. I have a spare Pm me and i can put it in the post it was the best 2 pound i have ever spent on the engine.

[Aidan]

big bunch of keys in the ignition switch ?

[toomanytoys]

try another rotor arm.. had same symptoms on 2 vehicles.. fine until warmed up... then not run, rough, until cooled down a fraction..

Change 1 thing at a time, then you know what it was...

[KarlT]

Cheers guys, lots to think about/look at.
I'll start with the simple stuff, clean up pump connectors, look at rotor arm.

[KINGPRAWN]

Check the micro switch under the throttle body....mine just fell apart causing just those symptoms, its no big deal to get to...20 min job. You can't fix it though just replace it!!

[tforturton]

There's a whole load of stuf on this up in the wiki - it's listed under 'vanagon symptom' in the engine section.

[KarlT]

Okay, update.
Checked fuel-pump connectors, seemed good.
Had a look at micro switch, can hear it clicking on & off but don't know about signal.
Took it out again.........
Started fine, drove well. After 1 mile, going up hill, under power, felt it die, lose all power, but then 2 seconds later (still coasting) power back, pulled off again.
Driving home (same spot as yesterday! ) Died again. coasted to a stop.
Tried restarting, felt like only firing on two. Run real lumpy, strong smell of unburnt petrol from exhaust.
Pulled Main HT lead to dizzy, (got my 7 year old to turn it over, ) while I checked spark. Not lightning blue but I'd say a good yellow/white spark.
Would not start. 12 atempts.
Passerby help push it off double yellow lines, as he got his breath back, it fired up fine & I drove it home....Should of seen his face!

Coil?

[toomanytoys]

dont check rotor arm, change it.. even for another used one...

something electrical is breaking down when warmed up.. if there is a reasonable spark then the rotor arm is the only thing stopping it getting to the plugs.. but reasonable might not be enough... coil could be breaking down, they tend to missfire a lot tho..