I just tried unplugging the distributor hall connector on an 87.

The fuel pump cycles every time the key is turned on, whether the hall
sensor is attached to the FI harness or not. I may try a couple other
vans to see if the year or ECU version matters but it seems doubtful.

I suppose a bad hall sensor could somehow trick the ECU into not running
the pump at key on but seems unlikely. My guess is that I could unplug
every sensor in the FI system and the pump would still cycle at power
on. I am going to try it and see.

There is of course some chance that he has 2 problems and the not
cycling fuel pump is related to a second problem rather than the problem
of the van dying. Unlikely but possible.

Mark

kenneth wilford (Van-Again) wrote:
> I remember a van that had a problem with dying.  I was troubleshooting and
> when I turned the key on the pump didnt do its 2 second run.  I took
> another distributor that I had and just plugged it in electrically to the
> hall sensor and then turned on the key.  It did the pre run every time I
> would turn the distributor shaft a little with my fingers.  Installed
> distributor and that fixed it.
>
> I am 100% positive that this problem is the distributor (hall sensor) or a
> fault in its wiring.
>
> Ken Wilford
>