75 bus with the hiccups

My '75 Westfalia has a hiccup problem. While driving it will
occasionally cut out like, feels like you hit a bump, or the engine
forgot to fire for a second. I have replaced the plugs, wires, and
distributor. When she is running, its smooth even and powerful (1800
pancake strong) before and after the hiccup. Once she got a bad case
of them, close together, then died. A wire had come off the coil. I
have stuck it back on, and crimped all the wires from the coil. It
will go several days running fine, then get a hiccup, or two. They
are worse some days.
I have replaced the fuel filter also, adding injector cleaner.
Any ideas what is causing this?

docsavage wrote:
> My '75 Westfalia has a hiccup problem. While driving it will
> occasionally cut out like, feels like you hit a bump, or the engine
> forgot to fire for a second. I have replaced the plugs, wires, and
> distributor. When she is running, its smooth even and powerful (1800
> pancake strong) before and after the hiccup. Once she got a bad case
> of them, close together, then died. A wire had come off the coil. I
> have stuck it back on, and crimped all the wires from the coil. It
> will go several days running fine, then get a hiccup, or two. They
> are worse some days.
> I have replaced the fuel filter also, adding injector cleaner.
> Any ideas what is causing this?


Tough one to find.
Def sounds electrical.

A loose wire anywhere in the ign circuit (including up front)
could do it. Double relay maybe (it supplies power to the ECU).
Even the terminals on the coil housing itself can get loose.

I would rig a test lamp up in the cab. Run wire back to
the Coil (+) post and see if the lamp goes out.

Repeat test on the ballast resistor pack for the FI.
That will tell if ECU power goes out.

Could be lots of other places, but I would start there.

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

I agree with Speedy, but which days are they worse?
Does moisture in the air have anything to do with it?
Or is it very hot outside?
Have you been running it for awhile or you just started it up?
Does anything else stop working for a second? Radio or gauges or ???
When did this hiccupping start? After an engine transplant or new battery
or ???

Does it "hiccup" (cut out), or "pop"?

Check all wiring from the battery and grounds on the engine. If it was a
Beetle I would say that there is some wiring for the FI under the rear seat,
but I don't know the system well on your Westfalia. <:-)

good luck!
--
later,
(One out of many daves)

"Speedy Jim" > wrote in message
...
> docsavage wrote:
>> My '75 Westfalia has a hiccup problem. While driving it will
>> occasionally cut out like, feels like you hit a bump, or the engine
>> forgot to fire for a second. I have replaced the plugs, wires, and
>> distributor. When she is running, its smooth even and powerful (1800
>> pancake strong) before and after the hiccup. Once she got a bad case
>> of them, close together, then died. A wire had come off the coil. I
>> have stuck it back on, and crimped all the wires from the coil. It
>> will go several days running fine, then get a hiccup, or two. They
>> are worse some days.
>> I have replaced the fuel filter also, adding injector cleaner.
>> Any ideas what is causing this?
>
>
> Tough one to find.
> Def sounds electrical.
>
> A loose wire anywhere in the ign circuit (including up front)
> could do it. Double relay maybe (it supplies power to the ECU).
> Even the terminals on the coil housing itself can get loose.
>
> I would rig a test lamp up in the cab. Run wire back to
> the Coil (+) post and see if the lamp goes out.
>
> Repeat test on the ballast resistor pack for the FI.
> That will tell if ECU power goes out.
>
> Could be lots of other places, but I would start there.
>
> Speedy Jim
> http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/
>

dave AKA vwdoc1 wrote:

> I agree with Speedy, but which days are they worse?
> Does moisture in the air have anything to do with it?
> Or is it very hot outside?
> Have you been running it for awhile or you just started it up?
> Does anything else stop working for a second? Radio or gauges or ???
> When did this hiccupping start? After an engine transplant or new battery
> or ???
>
> Does it "hiccup" (cut out), or "pop"?
>
> Check all wiring from the battery and grounds on the engine. If it was a
> Beetle I would say that there is some wiring for the FI under the rear seat,
> but I don't know the system well on your Westfalia. <:-)
>
> good luck!


Good point about the grounds on the engine block for the FI.
They can get corroded.

All the FI wiring and the ECU/dbl relay is in the engine bay.

Jim