Roger, Yes, it will stop firing, and I pulled the muffler off a bit ago and
it had fired enough to black the shinny new metal gaskets.  The intake gets
warm.  I have tried it 180 degrees out, I have tried every single hole in
the distributor,  even 180 degrees out for them.  I have the time correct
now, timing light shows it is.   Still just popping, new plugs, distrub cap.
new wires.

    I have worked all afternoon trying to get the Crankshaft pulley bolt to
come loose.  I built the device in the Bentley  and still no dice.  I think
I have figured out what's happened.  You guys can laugh on this one, but if
you have never lived around the south, you probably won't understand.  I
think what somebody has done, they bought it, after the dirt dobbers got let
in the cylinders.  They could not fix it, as it shows evidence of new plugs,
wires and other parts, jumper wires in the front driver floor...!  It's
pretty common in this part of the world, if you can't fix it,  fix it where
nobody else can either.!

   I believe they pulled the crankshaft pulley seal out, and torqued the
crap out of the bolt.. in excess of 400 ft. pounds or more.  There is no
telling what else has been done to it... if you recall there is no oil
sender wire, anywhere to be found..?

   My problem is now, how do I get that bolt loose.  I wonder at what point
the head snaps off the bolt..?  If you thought it strange I was wondering if
all  or most of the upper electronics is bad,  when the electronic ignition
is very simple... ?  This is the reason, as several people have bought the
van and brought it back, probably sold it at a loss.  I bought it at a
salvage yard.

Any engines out there...I'm beginning to wonder.  The fellow I place sit
for, his mechanic a big fellow stout as a bull elephant, cannot get it to
break lose either../
Thanks
Lyle Lathem
1985 Vanagon GL