Bruce,

Sounds like your immediate problem is electrical.  I would get a
helper to find out if you definitely don't have a spark while you
crank the engine - this is the fundamental start of your diagnostics.

If no spark, then get a Bentley manual and go through the diagnostic
checks that are explained.  There are many reasons why you would not
get a spark, such as:
* ECU dead (very unlikely)
* Coil dead (unlikely)
* Hall sender dead (unlikely)
* Rotor bad (unlikely)
* Ignition switch bad (unlikely)

If spark, then its probably a fuel delivery problem.  Again the
Bentley manual has lots of diagnostics you can do.  Problems areas
are:
* TempII sender bad (they do go bad)
* AFM bad (they do go bad)
* Fuel filter clogged (maybe)
* Fuel pump dying (good chance)
* Grounds (all those brown wires) bad (not likely)
* Fuel pressure regulator (not likely)

Given what you have mentioned so far my guess is:
* there probably is a spark from the coil to ground
* the distributor cap or wires may have been repositioned wrongly
after you checked the wires and changed the plugs

If you get it running, I would then work on the original fuel delivery
problems:
* check fuel filter and pump
* check fuel pressure
* check throttle switch
* look for vacuum leaks
* remove and reconnect all the electrical connections you can find
(this sometimes helps re-seat a bad connection)
* get yourself a volt/ohm meter and do the Bentley diagnostics

You have a some work ahead of you to pin this down.

Laurence Smith
Hamilton, ON
90 Westy (fanumbos)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List
> [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Bruce Nadig
> Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 6:15 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: No Start - '87 Vanagon
>
>
> All,
>
> Here is some more information:
>
> The engine cranks but will not start, or even come close to
> starting.
> The gas probably O.K. When I first bought the Vanagon it
> was practically
> empty. I immediately went and filled the tank. Everything
> was fine until now
> (about half of a tank). Had the gas been a problem it would
> have shown much
> earlier. Also, it seems to run O.K. at higher engine speeds
> if you can get
> it there. I think that there is probably no spark. I have
> sprayed starting
> fluid into the intake and tried to start, but without success.
>
> Thanks,
> Bruce
>
> >From: Laurence Smith <lsmith@COGECO.CA>
> >Reply-To: Laurence Smith <lsmith@COGECO.CA>
> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >Subject: Re: No Start - '87 Vanagon
> >Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:21:38 -0500
> >
> >Bruce,
> >
> >There are so many things it could be.  We need to know much more
> >information to be able to help.  There are fundamentals we need to
> >know such as:
> >* is there a spark
> >* is the fuel pump working
> >* do you have good gas
> >* does it turn over and just not catch
> >etc. etc.
> >
> >Tell us more detail and you will get help from the List members.
> >
> >Laurence Smith
> >Hamilton, ON
> >90 Westy (fanumbos)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Vanagon Mailing List
> > > [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> > > Of Bruce Nadig
> > > Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 11:34 AM
> > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > > Subject: No Start - '87 Vanagon
> > >
> > >
> > > Fellow Listers,
> > >
> > > I just bought a very clean 1987 Vanagon. I ran very well
> > > for a couple of
> > > days. Then, it started to have a huge hesitation problem
> > > just above idle. In
> > > fact, it was almost, if not completely, impossible to pull
> > > away from a
> > > standstill. In neutral if I could get the engine to start
> > > revving, say above
> > > 2,500 rpm or so, it would rev very well.
> > >
> > > I think, but I'm not sure, that things were O.K. when
> > > starting cold. Things
> > > seemed O.K. when the engine was warm. The problem seemed to
> > > be when the
> > > engine was between cold and hot.
> > >
> > > Now I can't even start it. I checked the cap and rotor.
> > > They look O.K. (not
> > > perfect), so I cleaned them. I replaced the spark plugs. It
> > > still won't
> > > start. The idle motor is buzzing so I think it is
> working properly.
> > >
> > > Any help is greatly appreciated.
> > >
> > > TIA,
> > > Bruce
> > >
> > >
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