2.1 injection van, engine stops when it feels like it!!

[Chris Sullivan]

I have a 1988 2.1 injection van with a DJ engine that has just got a mind of it's own. The van runs fine, some would even say "sweet", then for no reason that I can find (did have a look on the wiki) the engine stops. There is fuel in the tank, the battery is fairly new, the rotor arm, HT lead and distributor cap are all 6 months old and look clean. The engine turns over but there doesn't seem to be any life. I then curse and swear at it check all the wiring and fuel etc still no luck. Then when you are about to give up it starts with no problem and runs like a dream until the next time it does it which seems to have no logic as to when it is going to happen or how long it won't start for. Has anyone else seen this problem or have any words of wizdom as to what it could be that is causing it?

[tonytech]

Does it cut out at idle or when driving?
I had a broken wire near to the ignition amplifier (2" square component about 1/4 " thick on RHS engine bulkhead) that caused my engine to suddenly cut out when driving.
I've yet to discover why it now stalls unexpecedly when waiting at junctions.
T

[Aidan]

? bad connection to the alternator for the positive which supplies the feed to the relays for the ecu and fuel pump I have seen this where the 12v is present at the stud in the supply box to the left of the tstat housing when static but as soon as engine turns over the 12v dissappeared and wouldn't start, so that testing with ignition on fuel pump and relays worked but when cranking they didn't - turned out to be a poor contact on the thinner of the two connectors on the alternator terminal, worse when wet. I sold the van with the problem (after it went away 9was fixed)and didn't recur) and supplied the temp fix to customer with the words, keep this in the glovebox at all times, if you ever have a problem give me a call and I'll tell you how to fix it, 4 years on he's never needed it, but it was a real mind bender for me and the rac man when it first went wrong - rac man came up with the temp fix which was a work around using ignition switched live to supply the relays.
? bad relay for ecu or pump
? bad connection to fuel pump
? bad connection to ecu - it's not the best situated thing can get damp

[syncrosimon]

Ken Simmonds aka citzen smith had this problem I think, which turded out to be his ECU.
For the injection engines to run sweet, every wire must be spot on with un corroded terminals.