Jim,

Aren't there some Vanagon list members around B'ham?  Maybe one of them
could loan you an ECU?

Also Jim's VW in Leeds might be an option although he always had pre-86
vanagons.

2008/9/11 Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com>

> Long story about trying to find an LED test lamp this morning to find
> out what is going on with the hall sensor, I found myself near walmart
> with the distributor I removed last night. I returned the distributor
> to the car and it started right up! Figured it must be the distributor
> connections. Headed for home and before I got out of the parking lot,
> it died. Started back up, headed home again, started running like
> crap. Put on the flashers (only about two miles to go). Started
> running better. Made all the time I could. Started running like crap
> again. Barely made it up my hill and into the garage.
>
> Shut it off. Let it cool a minute, beat on the ECU and disconnected
> and reconnected the connectors between the harness and the AFM.
> Realized I had committed a cardinal sin of troubleshooting, I did two
> things at one time so now I would not know which thing I did, if
> either, caused the effect if it happened to start. I tried it and it
> did. Ran for a minute and started stumbling and then died. Came inside
> and typed some more on this post. Realized I had not run a ground wire
> from the distributor to ground since I didn't have one with me
> yesterday but now I did, so I went out and did that. It started right
> up. It ran smoothly for a minute and started stumbling. I hopped into
> the passenger area and beat on the box containing the ECU. No effect
> so I shut it off and came in to finish this post. I just now ran out
> and turned the key again, and it started and ran strongly. I knew what
> was coming, though: in a minute it would run rough and die.
>
> It still could be the hall effect sensor, but really doesn't seem like
> it. It could be the ECU, but I don't know how to test it. Could be the
> temp II sensor, but I've never had a problem with that so I don't know
> the symptoms. Any further guidance available, given that the real
> range of symptoms are that if you let it sit, even for five minutes,
> it starts right up, but then it stumbles and slowly heads toward a
> stall?
>
> Thanks and thanks to those who have helped so much so far,
>
> Jim
>

--
Chris S.
Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"