I have received a number of responses both on and off the list, so I thought
I would summarize:

There are several electrical issues that I did not mention, as I believed
that they were unrelated to this problem.  After several e-mails, I see that
was an error on my part.  There are many things that do not work in this
van, I had thought that they were separate issues, but now I believe that
the ignition switch is causing all of the problems.  Since I removed the
jumper that the PO had put in, I no longer have - headlights (except for
high beam flashing and parking lights), windshield wipers, clock, rear heat
blower or front heat/air blower.  The engine starts, I have brake and
running lights, the A/C and it's blower work, turn signals work, emergency
flashers work and the horn works.  I have ordered a new switch from Bus
Depot, I will plug it in when received and test to see if everything works
prior to installing it.

Thanks to several people suggesting the ignition switch, I used my meter to
read the fuses in the fuse block to ground.  All of the above systems that
don't work, have no power with the key in the "Run" position.  I ran a
jumper from the battery to the fuse for the front blower, and the blower was
working fine.  Hopefully, many of my problems with the electrical systems
will go away after the switch is replaced.  I will be checking the ground
point above the fuse block tomorrow, just to make sure that isn't an issue
too.

Thanks to all for your help,
Don in Phoenix, AZ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Haynes" <dhaynes@optonline.net>
To: "'Don in Phoenix'" <02BuellS3T@cox.net>; <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Cc: <Syncro@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue 20 April 2004 19:35
Subject: RE: [Syncro] Electrical issue - 1987 Syncro GL

> Check the ground connections above the fuse box. The headlights share a
> common terminal which heats up and burns out. Better yet, attach the
> ground wires coming out of the headlights to the sheet metal directly
> under the grill.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don in Phoenix [mailto:02BuellS3T@cox.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 3:46 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Cc: Syncro@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Syncro] Electrical issue - 1987 Syncro GL
>
> Hello all -
>
> I am having an electrical issue with my Syncro, and thought that perhaps
> someone on the list has had this in the past (searched the archives,
> didn't
> find anything that "jumped" out at me).
>
> Issue # 1 - No headlights.  Parking lights and gauge lights work in both
> headlight switch positions.
>
> Issue # 2 - No windshield wipers.  Not in intermitant, slow or fast
> switch
> positions.
>
> No fuses blown that I can find.  Bentley on order, but it will be a few
> days.  Are there any electrical diagrams on line for this?  I am an
> electrician, but without the diagrams I'm just guessing...hand over
> handing
> the wiring harness would take a long time too...
>
> When I bought this van, a PO had wired a jumper from one of the
> connections
> on the small plug in the steering wheel area (from wiper switch I
> presume)
> to somewhere on the headlight switch.  With the jumper, I had headlights
> (in
> BOTH headlight switch positions!!) and windshield wipers, but ONLY when
> the
> headlight switch was all the way on.  When I pulled the dash apart
> checking
> the clock (still doesn't work, probably will replace) the jumper wire
> came
> off of the headlight switch.  As it was apparently just wedged in there,
> I
> can't tell what terminal it was connected to. I would MUCH rather fix
> this
> right anyway, then jumper the wiring harness as the PO did.  At least I
> know
> from when it had the jumper that the wiring is good from the headlight
> switch to the headlights, and from the windshield wiper switch to the
> wiper
> motor.
>
> Don in Phoenix, AZ