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From: nelson@cvl.UUCP (Randal Nelson)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: HELP!!  What's wrong with my car??
Message-ID: <974@cvl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 18-Nov-85 22:11:10 EST
Article-I.D.: cvl.974
Posted: Mon Nov 18 22:11:10 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Nov-85 21:06:47 EST
References: <558@petfe.UUCP>
Reply-To: nelson@cvl.UUCP (Randal Nelson)
Organization: Computer Vision Lab, U. of Maryland, College Park
Lines: 28

In article <558@petfe.UUCP> bobp@petfe.UUCP (Dan Masi) writes:
>
><<>>
>My car recently developed the following symptom:  
>
>Under large load, the engine "cuts out".  When I'm accelerating,
>or going up a steep hill, or any time that the accelerator is almost
>fully depressed, after a few seconds the car will lurch as though the
>ignition system was cut off for 1/4 second.  If I back off of the
>accelerator, the problem stops; if I keep the pedal depressed, the engine
>will come back, then cut out again, then come back on, etc.  

Some time ago I had a similar problem with a 71 chevy van (350 V8 engine).
The engine would cut out briefly under heavy loads and then recover.
No one could figure out what the trouble was, and the problem persisted
for several years, generally showing up on vacation when we were pulling
a heavy load.
It turned out that the symptom was due to vapor lock in the fuel
line caused by high temperature around the engine which was in
turn caused by lack of adequate air circulation due to a
partially failed fan clutch.
I don't know if this can happen with fuel injection, but you
might check the cooling system to make sure that everything
is working as it should.

Randal Nelson