Problems under hot conditions
Kopper69, you've given me a bit to go on with my own problem, thanks for that.
Just about every really hot day (37 degrees plus), after half an hour or more of highway running, my VS Acclaim runs out of power. All dashboard gauges are reading normal when I get this problem. Mostly the car stalls while I'm still moving (all dash lights then come on), but sometimes when I feel the power loss and pull over, it keeps idling but like a chaff cutter. After about 3 minutes rest, I can restart and drive off (sometimes it needs 5 minutes). Yesterday Sunday 28th the weather went over 40C where I am in the west, and I had to stop 9 times on a 170 Km trip home during the heat. I plan my trip accordingly, keep plenty of fuel in the tank, and stay off freeways where I'm likely to stuff other motorists up! In general, I hate summer for this reason.
I've been on this site before in the last 3 years or so, but didn't really get enough to help me decide whether it was a fuel-related problem (especially a faulty fuel pump and a hot fuel tank delivering fuel incorrectly) or a crank angle sensor (CAS). I've had the codes read by various mechanics, but they've always been normal. Even though the car seems to run longer after pulling over and buying fuel to cool the fuel tank, I'm leaning towards the CAS being the culprit. I have never cooled the CAS off by pouring water on it, a short rest period has always got me going again. But from what you say, Kopper69, and the article on the role of CAS's that I found on this site, I'm gonna bite the bullet and get it replaced. If that don't work, then I'll take another look at the fuel system, especially the fuel pump.
I say again that this only ever happens on really hot days.
