OK, I have replaced the distributor in my 1988 GL with a new one.  On
pulling the old distributor, I noted lots of corrosion on the outside of the
housing, the o-ring was shot, and that the Hall Effect sensor plug plastic
piece was broken, allowing the three wires to occasionally short to the
distributor casing.  I believe that this was the cause of my on again / off
again engine running issue.

At any rate, the new distributor is in place.  I have it set well enough for
the engine to run (poorly) right now.  The problem is in connecting my
tachometer/dwell/voltmeter/ammeter combo.  I have it connected to a good
power source and grounded to clean metal on the engine case.  It reads ~14
VDC with the engine running.  The problem is with the tachometer sensor
wire.  The Bentley manual says to connect to coil lead 1, which is where I
have it connected.  Engine off - 0 RPM.  Engine idle - ~6000 RPM on the 4
cylinder scale.  If I run it up to the 8 cylinder scale, it reads ~1500
RPM - still way to high.

I have used this tachometer on various cars in the past, both point and
electronic style ignition and never had a problem before this.  I didn't try
it, but am now wondering if a good body ground might work better (of course,
the voltage indicated a good ground, so???), though why a poor ground would
make it read high is beyond me...  Any ideas???

Don in Reidsville, NC
1987 Vanagon GL Syncro (Suzie)
1988 Vanagon GL (Sylvia)