Help! Starts, idles for a few minutes, then dies.

[Carbonobo]

Hi!

Been searching the forums for a while trying to find anything helpful, figured it’s about time I just ask for help hah.

Right now my van (87, 2.1L) will start, run for a few minutes, and then die abruptly. Sometimes the tach jumps around a little when it dies and I hear some strange buzzing/electrical sounds from the engine.

Right after it dies, it doesn’t want to start back up. when I turn the key to the first stop, I won’t hear the fuel pump prime, and sometimes I’ll hear the same buzzing sound from the engine instead. It will crank but won’t start. If I take the key out and wait a few minutes, it will start up like normal but then dies again like before.

The buzzing/electrical sound seems to be coming from multiple places, but generally localized around the distributor/idle control valve/alternator area.

I just replaced the dizzy, the fuel pump, and the fuel pump relay. Now I’m checking all the grounds I can find and looking for broken cables.

Any input from you more experienced folks would be greatly appreciated

[MarkWard]

If you have a timing light, attach it and see if it flashes when the van doesn’t start. Report back.

[AKZog]

I had this happen recently with my '85 1.9L Tintop

I did the direct to starter ground upgrade and added a substantial ground to my alternator as well. My problem went away and the Vanagon is running better than it has for quite some time.

I don't even get any dimming on my lights when I use the blinkers anymore!!!

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...to+starter

[Red Ryder]

Failing fuel pump?
_________________
“Most everyone’s mad here. You may have noticed I am not quite all there myself.” — Cheshire Cat, Adventures of Alice in Wonderland

“Scarlett” — 1990 Vanagon Carat Wolfsburg Edition (Tornado Red)
“Nigel” — 1999 Jaguar XK8 convertible (Alpine Green Metallic)

[Carbonobo]

Ahh, sorry for the delay.

I bought a timing light, but the intermittent problem disappeared and everything started working... I had been testing different Relays, cleaning grounds, tightened the bolt on my ignition coil lol, and I also switched out my ignition switch.

I drove it 500mi to my dad's, but continued to have intermittent (but luckily short lived) start and running problems. Halfway through the journey, it died and wouldn't crank, so I put the old ignition switch back in and it started?? It's a strange life.

When I got there we took out the multimeter, cut open some boots, cleaned tons of connectors and slathered everything in dielectric grease. The intermittent problem seems(?) to be related to the fuel Relays or some of the nearby grounds.

I drove back home 500mi and continued to have intermittent problems.

Sometimes the fuel pump doesn't prime, and the car won't start. I changed the fuel pump, and this problem did not go away. Usually (but not always) I'll hear some kind of electrical buzzing from the engine while this is happening. If I try it a few times, it usually starts and stays ruining.

I tried a 3rd ignition switch as well, and there still seems to be this intermittent problem.


Thoughts? Feels like I'm chasing a ghost hah, considering that direct to starter ground upgrade next.

[crazyvwvanman]

The symptoms you describe sound a lot like a bad connection in the battery power feed wiring for the engine systems.
This could be as simple as a loose nut at the starter motor wiring stud or a failing ring terminal at the alternator wiring stud.
It could be the notorious D15 pin burnout in the main fuse/relay panel.

I would continue to focus on wiring for now.
Here is a thread some have found useful.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=349429&start=0

Mark

[Carbonobo]

Thanks Mark!

So I checked on the D15 pin, and it looks okay, but everything under the dash looks a bit rough. Lots of corroded grounds and one Relay has some melted plastic.

The plug that goes into my ignition switch also appears to be a little melted;

I tried to clean and grease everything up, then put the new ignition switch in, and tried to start it. Heard the characteristic buzzing from the engine, and the car would not start. Switched to my old ignition switch, and the car started and ran.

It seems like this car had some kind of catastrophic failure in the past. I think they replaced the engine, but several of the cables were damaged and not replaced. I can't tell what is old damage from whatever happened and what might be new that could be causing my problem.