Hi Mike,
I had a similar problem once.  It turned out the TempII sensor.  Van started
when cold,  ran rough when hot (intermittently), would not start when hot
(most times).
After replacing the sensor, van ran great again.
However with the vanagon, it could be any number of other problems.  If you
are fixing by trial and error,  replacing the temp2 sensor is one of the
cheapest parts to start with, especially with the symptoms you have.

Alfred
85 Westy

----- Original Message -----
From: "mike miller" <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2001 12:52 PM
Subject: Van Gremlins

> Volks,
>
> My son and I took the 85 Westy on a trip.  Many times it has kind of
> hesitated at about 100 miles, then it smooths out and is fine.
>
> This time it started at 50 miles and got worse.  Had to go down a gear
lower
> than usual to get up the mountains.  Stopped for dinner and it wouldn't
> start afterward.  Starter spun it very well, no fire at all.
>
> Checked for spark and it was weak but there.  Fuel pump made it noise on
> turning the key.  Tried it several more times, nothing, no effort to kick
> over at all.
>
> Had a spare coil [Bosche from the last episode of missing which turned out
> to be plugs wires] plugged it in, much better spark, no help with
starting.
>
> Tried spraying carb cleaner into the intake [removed the air filter]
> nothing.  Spent the night in the parking lot.  Started the next morning
ran
> like a tank until it ran out of gas 10 miles from home.  Put gas in and it
> started and ran fine.  Got home and then tried to start it and it did the
> same no fire at all trick that it did at the restaurant the night before.
>
> My son's guess was that the first coil was bad [new Bosche] and when we
put
> the old coil in the engine was flooded from the earlier tries to start it.
>
> But that doesn't explain why it's doing it again.  He still thinks fuel
> delivery problems, my guess is gremlins.
>
> Anybody else got an idea.
>