2000 Safari - Starts when it wants too?

[Newfie452]

We have a 2000 Safari, that has not really given us much trouble untill now. Recently we had a few problems. It started running weird, surging a bit. We made an appointment with the garage. Before we got it, it died. Wouldn't start.

We were out when it died, called a tow truck... before the truck got there, the van started again!

We got it in the garage and the following was replaced:

- Fuel pump (for an unrelated matter, the fuel level was not displaying. For anyone with the problem of their fuel gauge going nuts and not giving accurate readings, sorry to say you will have to shell out for the whole assembly unless you can scrap one...)

- Distributor cap.
- Plugs
- Plug wires
- Rotor button
- I think that's all, I don't have the work record on me atm.

We got it out of the garage and all was fine.... untill two days later... worked fine the night before, went out in the morning.... nothing.

Few hours later, it would go. Since then we have been baffled.... one hour it wont go, next hour it will.

Took it back to the garage. They put it on the analyzer. They said nothing showed up...


I'm thinking Ignition coil, but my father (who owns the van) is dead set that it would show up when it's analyzed...

Any ideas?









On an unrelated note:
We also had some rear brake issues. The brakes would sometimes make a scraping/bumping sound then lock up... garage said it was because an axle seal was gone and causing grease to get on the drums and make the brakes slip. (Right from that point I didn't think that was the right answer, the sound is more of a grinding/gear scraping sort of sound.... if that makes any sense.)

We had the seals replaced, the drums, the shoes... all of it... The problem is not as bad, but we still get that horrible sound... I haven't drove the van since then, so I'm not sure if its locking still or not, but the sound is still there.... any ideas??



Sorry for the long post, tried to give as much detail as I could,
Thanks for any help!

[Ralph123]

We got it out of the garage and all was fine.... untill two days later... worked fine the night before, went out in the morning.... nothing.

what happens when you turn the key? does it crank? click? nothing?

[Newfie452]

Sorry, forgot to mention it cranks fine, just wont start. Same as before.