Check plugs?????? they tell a lot, feel like a seize piston(S) ring!!!!
how is the oil pressure overflow, got oil in intake????? this will tell you
a lot also......... Air goes somewhere, fuel goes somewhere, oil goes
somewhere....got to find whre they are going................

Ben

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When I started my vanagon tonight it was running unusually rough and I
smelled burning oil. It seemed to smoothen out as I drove away then
performance got worse as though running on only two cylinders, almost quit
about 50 feet from the driveway when I made a u-turn to drive back home
where it quit and would not start again. The last time I used the van
earlier in the day it drove perfectly.

Any advice before I take it to my local VW dealer for diagnosis and repair?
I hope this is something simple that I can repair myself.

Awaiting the wisdom of the group.