Check the inside of your distributor.  If there is heavy carbon tracking,
your may have bad transistorized ignition control unit.  My '84 had similar
problem New Years Day.  Van died in the garage.  Someone on list suggested
the fix and got a new unit at AutoZone.  After getting it going, I ordered
new cap, rotor and high tension wires from The Bus Depot.  No problems since
then.

John Lauterbach
Macon, GA
'84 DL

----- Original Message -----
From: "TieDye" <boomin@EPIX.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 11:47 PM
Subject: Sudden rough idle, Engine won't start

> I went for my weekly spin yesterday, engine ran great to my destination,
> and almost home, About 3 miles away from home, engine started feeling as
if
> it were missing, some subtle surges, but seemed to be running fine (gauges
> didn't show anything abnormal, no lights) but as I pulled in the driveway,
> and left it sit running, it began to idle rough, then stalled. I've tried
> cranking it a few times, and have done nothing other then run the battery
> low. One time during the attempts to start the van, it seemed to turn over
> for a second, idled very rough, and died. Gas smell from rear is quite
> overpowering, as if engine isn't getting fire.
>
> any ideas of what to check before I start calling mechanics?
>
> seemed to come on quite suddenly, has run perfect (except for a slight tap
> occasionally, which was diagnosed as a lifter, problem solved with
> trans-valve oil) which causes me to think it's something electrical.
>
> Tie
>
>
> TieDye
> 1984 VW Vanagon (1.9l) Owner
>
> Http://www.VWTrek.Com - Webmaster
> Http://www.webtrek.org - Webmaster
> E-Mail - boomin@epix.net