Perhaps fuel filter?
----- Original Message -----
From: "John S. Klun" <jklun@GJ.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2002 6:27 PM
Subject: Re: Sputter, sputter, cough cough

> Fuel pump?
>
> Jeremy Speer wrote:
> >
> > Folks,
> >
> > So i got up early this fine Minnesota morning and drove the Mystery
> > Machine around the city lakes. She ran PERFECTLY.
> >
> > Drove her to work. 13 Miles mostly interstate. Ran GREAT.
> >
> > Drove her back to Minneapolis a few moments ago... all was fine until i
> > was coming down the exit ramp. By the time i got to the stop sign it was
> > sputtering and just barely idling.
> >
> > I limped back to "Good Carma" the VW shop i'd gone to in the past. Duane
> > and i poked and prodded every connector within reach. No effect.
> >
> > He could push the throttle to wide open and virtually NOTHING would
> > happen.
> >
> > He disconnected and reconnected a bunch of things. No change. We shut
> > her off and let her cool down a bit. When started again the throttle
> > response was better, but still lagging.
> >
> > He said, "you're going to have to leave it with us for a while... it's a
> > mystery."
> >
> > Since i didn't have anything else to drive home I said i'd make an
> > appointment later next week... and limped home. All the poking and
> > prodding did seem to make some difference since she did not stall on the
> > way home, but it was still limping.
> >
> > My gut tells me this is all something to do with the distributor. Why?
> > Because the symptoms are a magnified version of the bad performance i
> > was seeing before the timing was advanced. But i'm just talking out my
> > butt here.
> >
> > Anyway... maybe time for rebuilt distributor.... maybe something else.
> >
> > All suggestions welcomed.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > -jspeer
> > '89 Westy GL, "Mystery Machine"