I got similar error as follows: 
2011/12/15 01:59:00.942| aclMatchExternal:
acexternal("Basic%20ZDA5NmQzYTItMDcxZS00ODViLTk3MDQtNzIyZGYzYWM2NTU2OjczZGMxOGI4LWY0ZGYtNDVhZi1hZDViLTllYTUyYTE2MDhkNA==")
= lookup needed 
2011/12/15 01:59:00.942| aclMatchExternal:
"Basic%20ZDA5NmQzYTItMDcxZS00ODViLTk3MDQtNzIyZGYzYWM2NTU2OjczZGMxOGI4LWY0ZGYtNDVhZi1hZDViLTllYTUyYTE2MDhkNA==":
entry=@0x3cecea8, age=69 
2011/12/15 01:59:00.942| aclMatchExternal:
"Basic%20ZDA5NmQzYTItMDcxZS00ODViLTk3MDQtNzIyZGYzYWM2NTU2OjczZGMxOGI4LWY0ZGYtNDVhZi1hZDViLTllYTUyYTE2MDhkNA==":
queueing a call. 
2011/12/15 01:59:00.942| aclMatchExternal:
"Basic%20ZDA5NmQzYTItMDcxZS00ODViLTk3MDQtNzIyZGYzYWM2NTU2OjczZGMxOGI4LWY0ZGYtNDVhZi1hZDViLTllYTUyYTE2MDhkNA==":
return -1. 
I am using 3.1.16. 
my external_acl_type is as follows:
external_acl_type acexternal children=20 ttl=60 negative_ttl=1 %>{X-MYAUTH}
/usr/local/bin/acexternal localhost
Am I hitting the same error? 
--- 
I found the following code segment in external_acl.cc 
            if (acl->def->theHelper->stats.queue_size <=
acl->def->theHelper->n_running) { 
                debugs(82, 2, "aclMatchExternal: \"" << key << "\": queueing
a call."); 
                ch->changeState(ExternalACLLookup::Instance()); 
                debugs(82, 2, "aclMatchExternal: \"" << key << "\": return
-1."); 
                return -1; // to get here we have to have an expired cache
entry. MUST not use. 
Can you please explain in what situations that this code segment will be
executed? 
Thanks 
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