Hello-  
My engine would not run well for a week-and the brakes went out at the same time- and I'd like to share the story .  

I didn't want to ask the list what could be causing my engine to barely run, shudder and stall several times before running but very poorly, low idle, low power .I did ask about the brakes-everyone who gave advice was right.  

This might make me look less intelligent than I really am, as asking you might reveal that I don't know everything about Vanagons.   
I admit this finally.  

Ignorance was my problem-
I  ignored a basic rule-always look in the gas can before you use it and  make sure it is clean!  

Four years ago I used a 5 gallon Jerry can that had paint flakes in it-which I only discovered after I used it. These were pieces of paint, some were  one inch square. Soon  
the outlet was blocked.

 I was on the East coast at the time , so I bought some fuel line and switched outlet for return line.  
It worked , and I drove with no problems almost 4 years.  

The flakes finally made it over to the other side of the tank, clogging the tank outlet( which was the return outlet)

I put the fuel intake hose in a can of gas  to isolate the tank, and turned the key.
 The engine runs normal.  

Not a cold start problem. It wasn't the ECU, or AFM, or idle switch, etc after all.   

I had stalled out several months ago and then the problem went away.  
I would be driving along then the engine would quit.  That was 8 months ago.  

 I looked inside the 84 tank today and saw the screen .
It doesn't look like the 82 has a screen, or it may be a different type?

Well at least you all were spared from having to help me figure this out.  

Thanks to all who helped with advice about brakes-
It was a failed master cylinder, just like you said.   
Running again with brakes-

Robert K

1982 Westfalia  
1987 Wolfsburg

  
Robert  

1982 WestfaliaGet more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com