My guess is, that it's ground related.  There is the cluster of ground under
the airbox, (that was my problem) that maybe corroded and very hard to get
to.  And of course the other ground wires to be cleaned and the screws or
bolts replaced with new ones, then cover with heavy grease or dialectric
grease.  Often the double relay is the problem, because it does not get good
ground or faulty.  But the ECU is only for gas supply management, as far as
I know.
Spark is done by other means.  Need a good battery, or it won't start, good
wires, good coil, distributor parts, etc.
This is not the first or last time someone thinks it's the ECU.
Zoltan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Wilford" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 4:21 AM
Subject: Looking for help with California AC Vanagon

>I wondered if someone could help me with a problem I have been having.
> I have a customer with an 81 AC Vanagon that is California emissions./
> About a year ago I sent him a good used ECU that I had and he said it
> fixed his problem.  However now the problem is back (no spark and no
> start).  He sent me his old ECU back as a core so I sent it out to be
> repaired.  The repair guys have looked it all over and thought they
> found a problem with one part on the board, however now they are
> thinking that it is not faulty.  In other words this ECU is fine.  That
> would mean that the problem is elsewhere and we are spinning our wheels
> with this ECU being the source of the problem.  My biggest problem is
> that I don't have a California Emissions AC Vanagon to pop this ECU into
> and see if it is going to work properly or not.  Is there someone out
> there that has one of these and I could send this ECU to you and just
> have to plug it in and see if the van runs fine or not?  Any help you
> can give would be appreciated.  You can respond off list.
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com