Your guess of fuel sounds right-er to me.  Fuel filter, fuel pump would be
a good start.  I have a 92 inline
Rabbit/Jetta 1.8 in my 84.  Never had that symptom, but I keep all my fuel
system 'refreshed'.
Keep us posted.
  Don Hanson
On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 3:45 PM, neil n <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

>  On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 3:12 PM, Timmy Evens <monkey_lips@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> > hello fellow vanagon nerds,
> > so my 83 has an engine from a 93 jetta. (1.8L inline 4)
> > lately it has randomly been acting like it is losing fuel. will sputter
> then idle extremely low and no throttle response. if i'm rolling along and
> keep it in gear and stomp on it i can just hear the throttle opening but no
> power. if i stop and sit or get out and mindlessly look for something wrong
> in the wiring then it will start up fine and run for a week or so then do it
> again. what is this? injectors not getting signal? fuel pump? engine
> gremlins angry?
>
>
> First of all, I resemble that nerd remark!  (kidding)
>
> Is your engine an ACC code? If so I bet it has Mono-Motronic. If not,
> likely it's running Digifant of some kind. If so, FWIW, the Haynes VW
> Rabbit '75-'92 manual is pretty useful and can be found used cheap.
>
> Sounds like electrical to me.
>
> Check:
>
> wires and connector at side of distributor.
> grounds in engine bay.
> high tension wires from coil to distributor and from distributor to
> plugs. Seated properly? Are connections clean?
> wires/connectors from any engine sensors
> wires/connectors at fuel pump
> wires/connectors at fuel pump and/or power relay (the latter being for
> the the ECU)
>
> It takes time, but it may also be worth following as many of the wires
> to/from engine bay components as you can, and look for obvious flaws.
>
> Basically look for wiring flaws. Cracked casings, corrosion etc.
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
>