Steve wrote:
"Since the voltage drop and noise gets worse with increasing electrical
load, and my stalling problem may also coincide with electrical loads
being on, I'm wondering if this ground voltage discrepancy isn't a
problem."

For several years I've had the Vanagon Syndrome where the van started to
quit, only to return to full power.  After reading the postings in this
newsgroup I create a list of possible solutions that others had
recommended.  Obviously the cheapest and easiest was at the top of the
list.

With a can of contact cleaner (the good stuff with military specs) I
cleaned every wire connection that I could fine.  That was a week ago
and since then not one time has the van's power flinched once.

Steve's comment has only solidified that, in my case, it was a matter of
cleaning the electrical contacts.  That isn't to say that there aren't
other reasons for the syndrome, but I suspect in most cases it is in
fact electrical.

I hope that Steve's efforts will lead to a simple test that all Vanagon
owners will be able to use in an effort to isolate the source for their
Vanagon Syndrome.

You're the man, Steve.

Richard