'78 Westy Random Stall/No Start?

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Sluggo
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Location: Portland, Or.
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Post by Sluggo » Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:27 pm

vdubyah73 wrote:Since you had the tank out you must have at least jostled the fuel pump. Check the wires at the fuel pump connections under the bus. Might be loose? If the pump shuts off intermittently, it would give the impression of electrical because the fuel pressure is simply not there as soon as the pump stops working. Coasting to the side of the road may have jostled everything just enough to get things working again.
Very good idea. I had a similar situation with a starter wire. Starter would crank or not crank intermittently. Cleaned it up and pushed it on tight. Never had a problem since.

Next time it happens put your hand on the pump to see if it's working. If it's like a Redline or Pierburg rotary pump it will vibrate just a little. Not too familiar with FI yet.
:vwgauge420:

1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
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VWGirl
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Post by VWGirl » Sun Sep 20, 2009 3:09 pm

So after driving it around town all week it was still doing fine. We set out to go camping and got about a mile from the house and it died again. I checked my clear filter, still clear as can be. My husband was with me this time and it was daylight and go figure one of the few times this week it wasn't raining. I had enough momentum to get me past a lane of traffic and up a hill in to the firehouse parking lot. Luckily in a spot that wasn't in the way. We checked for spark at the coil after ruling the fuel out. Go figure, the coil I had tested as good was now giving no spark. I swapped out the coil with the spare in the bus and we were on the road again.

When we got where we were going I told everyone what happened so they, of course, wanted to check the coil out too. Tested one side bad. Tested my other spare, good. Tested the bad one again, and it was now good again too! Crazy coil.
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dtrumbo
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Post by dtrumbo » Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:47 am

VWGirl wrote:Tested my other spare, good. Tested the bad one again, and it was now good again too! Crazy coil.
... and that is the definition of intermittent! I'm glad it seems you got it figured out. If you make it home again with no problems, we'll call it a win! :cheers:
- Dick

1970 Transporter. 2015cc, dual Weber IDF 40's
1978 Riviera Camper. Bone stock GE 2.0L F.I.
1979 Super Beetle convertible.

... as it turns out, it was the coil!
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VWGirl
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Post by VWGirl » Mon Sep 21, 2009 5:28 am

I made it back to my home in Atlanta and then back to my home in Chattanooga. Man this rain is getting out of control!
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