Peter Cassidy!  And he didn't even need a lifeline.  Actually, you all are.  I
can't believe how great this list is, saving so many so much.  I shudder to
think how much I would've spent to have this diagnosed at the garage.

It's the Hall sender folks.

The plastic connector is broken right where it passes through the distributor
body.  Inside, the plastic was split into two pieces which were just hanging,
exposing the pin of the black wire to the distributor body.  I guess that's
why the van had a tendancy to cut out when turning corners, as the loose
sender would shift and thereby ground the pin on the distributor (duh).

Now I can see why Peter called the connector "really dodgy".  I remember
having to constantly put it back into position (I didn't know what it was
then) whenever I pulled the distributor cap.  I suppose somebody didn't have
is secured properly before they forced the cap back on and broke it.  I wonder
who could've done that....

Anyway, the van started right up after I cleared the connector, but it won't
stay running long of course since the exposed pin inevitably grounds out
again.  I'll try to put some electrical tape on it unless someone has a better
temporary fix. The area is not a real easy place to tape.  Maybe melted
plastic to cover the pin back up?

Is this whole assembly fairly straightforward to change out?  Is it called the
Hall sensor or Hall sender?  I've seen both terms.

And thanks, Karl, I did find the throttle switch in the hole.  I don't think
I'll mess with it right now though :).

Again, thanks everyone so much.

This list rules!

Marc

Marc Theune
85 Vanagon
Atlanta, GA

Peter Cassidy wrote:

> [snip]
>
> >I discounted the Hall sender since there is no spark from the rotor.  Is
> >that a mistake?
>
> The hall sensor can kill your van stone-dead. Our old '81 airsucker had
> this problem. There's a really dodgy connector on the outside of the
> distributor. The wires from this leading inside the distributor to the
> hall sensor get flexed as the connector jiggles around. These wires are
> really thin & can either break or short out to ground. My van would
> be cruising down the freeway & just suddenly die. I'd get out & jiggle
> the connector while Lynda cranked it over. *Vrooom*. Eventually, I
> re-wired the sensor & replaced the outside connector. No problems ever
> again.
>
> Pete C
>
> --
> Peter Cassidy,                   pcassidy@apple.com
> Sr. Test Dev. Engineer             +353-21-284316
> WW Operations
> Apple, Cork.