>From: "Joel Walker"

>check the valve adjustment first. cheap and you can do it yourself.

>then if it still does it, get a leak-down test done. that'll save you time
>and trouble trying to figure out what's wrong. the test will point to any
>problems with the valves if there.

>also check the ignition timing.

>any really dark sooty stuff in the tailpipe? as in wet black soot? it
>should be black, but not a lot of soot and definitely not black. if black
>sooty and a lot, it's running too rich. might be an injector that is
>spraying too much.
>noticed any loss/lack of power lately?

Joel,
     I just went to check it and a little sooty and black. Not wet, not a
lot. But other that there has been no loss of power. But since you mentioned
timing it got me thinking about the sometimes bucking starts. Similar to a
Aircooled 2.0L using a .009 Dizzy as opposed to a smoothed out Vacuum
Advance. Slight hesitation at first then.....VROOM! It does not make for a
smooth start. Sounds like I need to check the timing.

Michael Knight
'77 Westy Deluxe, "el Verde"
'85 Vanagon GL, nameless