Before you buy all that try disconnecting the oxygen sensor (engine off, ignition off while you do this) and see if that improves the symptoms.  If so you either have a bad sensor, bad wiring, or exhaust leaks that are affecting the sensor reading.

Allan

On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:08 -0400, "Ellen Robey" <erobey@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> I am brand new to the list, have only owned my vanagon a year now. She's
> an 86, 2.1 water cooled. so, i am experiencing the intermittent loss of
> power while driving, she occasionaly dies coming to a stop at a light or
> off the freeway, and sounds LOUD to me. I can smell gas. Fuel economy
> has dropped from20mpg around town to 16mpg around town.
>
> So, found some bad hoses, replaced those, still doing this. Swapped out
> the AFM to see if it made a difference; it didn't. put mine back in and
> kept the spare as a 'just in cas' part. From time to time i can hear a
> high pitched whistle from the engine. mechanic thinks  it is coming from
> the throttle body itself, all hoses intact.
>
> I am going to get: idle control valve, new throttle body gasket,
> operating cam and clip for the throttle switch, a new fuel filter, and
> the 22 microfarad capacitor.
>
> What do you guys think? Anything I am leaving out? Thought i had a
> throttle body but haven't heard back from the guy.
>
> thanks for any suggestions
> erobey