[exim] connection refused

Hi all,

Without warning, my exim mailserver ( Linux.bushnet.net) started showing
lots of 'connection refused' in the logs. This is for a a wide range of
domains for both incoming mail and outgoing. Strangely, the affected
mails are relayed without a problem after awhile -- at inconsistent
intervals. This has led to massive delays in mails both incoming and
outgoing. Have checked to see if the server might be blacklisted but it
is not - at least not by the main blacklist. Below is an example of my
mainlog..

# /usr/exim/bin/exim -bV
Exim version 4.63 #1 built 22-Sep-2006 12:23:54
Copyright (c) University of Cambridge 2006
Berkeley DB: Sleepycat Software: Berkeley DB 4.0.14: (November 18, 2001)
Support for: crypteq iconv() OpenSSL Content_Scanning
Lookups: lsearch wildlsearch nwildlsearch iplsearch dbm dbmnz
Authenticators: cram_md5 plaintext
Routers: accept dnslookup ipliteral manualroute queryprogram redirect
Transports: appendfile/maildir autoreply pipe smtp
Fixed never_users: 0
Size of off_t: 8
Configuration file is /usr/exim/configure

#############
# exigrep -l 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U /var/log/exim/mainlog
2006-10-16 08:27:24 cwd=/var/spool/exim 3 args: /usr/exim/bin/exim -Mc
1GZL0U-0006VR-9U

2006-10-16 09:15:19 cwd=/var/spool/exim 9 args: /usr/exim/bin/exim -MCS
-MCP -MC remote_smtp mx1.mail.ukl.yahoo.com 195.50.106.7 11 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U

+++ 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U not completed +++
2006-10-16 08:27:22 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U PD5 checking message for malware
2006-10-16 08:27:24 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U PD6 checking mail for spam
2006-10-16 08:27:24 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U <= slwanga@??? H=(Lwanga)
[41.220.1.228]:28746 I=[217.212.242.5]:25 P=esmtp S=12674
id=000901c6f0e2$1a57bab0$4500a8c0@Lwanga T="RE: CCM FACILITATOR" from
<slwanga@???> for akinghorn@???
imotlhabane@??? jim_ari@???
rdunn@???
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U mxc01.mxrc.co.za [196.35.198.22]:25
Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U pcbhda.dyndns.org
[196.209.53.80]:25 Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U mxc01.mxrc.co.za [196.37.246.22]:25
Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U lycas.pcb.co.za [196.14.2.14]:25
Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U mxc01.mxrc.co.za [196.35.198.23]:25
Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U mxc01.mxrc.co.za [196.37.246.26]:25
Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U mxc01.mxrc.co.za [196.37.246.21]:25
Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U ==
imotlhabane@??? R=dnslookup T=remote_smtp defer (111):
Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U == rdunn@???
R=dnslookup T=remote_smtp defer (111): Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U == akinghorn@??? R=dnslookup
T=remote_smtp defer (111): Connection refused
2006-10-16 08:27:37 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U == jim_ari@??? R=dnslookup
T=remote_smtp defer (-53): retry time not reached for any host
2006-10-16 09:15:25 1GZL0U-0006VR-9U => jim_ari@???
F=<slwanga@???> P=<slwanga@???> R=dnslookup
T=remote_smtp S=13094 H=mx1.mail.ukl.yahoo.com [195.50.106.7]:-1* C="250
ok dirdel" QT=48m3s DT=3s.
#############

2006-10-16 09:30:43 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO PD5 checking message for malware
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO PD6 checking mail for spam
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO <= netapp@??? H=(Gilat)
[41.220.6.134]:28811 I=[217.212.242.5]:25 P=smtp S=413384
id=002c01c6f0ea$f02d9350$0100a8c0@Gilat T="Fw: MTN Backup to disk
solution in 3 phases (II)" from <netapp@???> for
dominic.fernandes@???
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com
[66.249.93.27]:25 Connection refused
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com
[66.249.93.114]:25 Connection refused
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO alt2.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com
[64.233.167.27]:25 Connection refused
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO alt2.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com
[64.233.167.114]:25 Connection refused
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO alt1.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com
[72.14.205.27]:25 Connection refused
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO gsmtp163.google.com
[64.233.163.27]:25 Connection refused
2006-10-16 09:30:45 1GZLzf-0000aT-MO == dominic.fernandes@???
R=dnslookup T=remote_smtp defer (111): Connection refused

Before this, this server had worked perfectly for about two years. Any
ideas ?

--
Richard