I think I already explained this, briefly, but it sounds like a classic
case of ignition switch going ka-blooey.

Your ignition switch has a myriad of little contacts which (when closed
in the proper order) allow the car to start. If one of those contacts is
degenerating, (but the rest are okay) you will get flaky scenarios on
starting. On VW's you can also get problems with your headlights...

So call Ken, or Ron, or whomever, and fetch the little electrical
portion of the switch for +/-$20, and swap it out. Or go to you local
NAPA auto parts and pay $78 for the same thing.

From historic, walkable Mount Olive, NC,

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
Alliance: www.ntara.com
Home: www.MountOliveNC.info

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Chad G
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2002 4:49 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Fuel Pump Problems

I posted earlier about my van not starting.  I've narrowed down my
problem.
I must first say that I know very little about working on cars.  To
recap,
my van wouldn't start.  I left it and tried it some time later and it
fired
right up.  Now it won't start again.  I tested the fuel pump to see if
it
was the culprit.  I ran a wire off the battery to the pump.......the
pump
works fine.  Am I correct to assuming there is no power going to the
pump??
This happened once before and I ended up putting in a new fuel pump
relay
and everything worked out.  I don't have a new relay and will have to
wait
till monday to get one from the dealer.  If the relay is the problem why
do
they keep dying on me (the last one went 2 months ago)?  If it isn't the
relay where do I go from there.  I was thinking of running a new wire
from
the pump directly to the relay box.........

any suggestions??

Chad 85GL