I hope everyone had or is having a Merry Christmas.

I am playing a Xmas mechanic with  a difficult problem to diagnose.  I'm
turning to you vanagonauts because it involves a digifant system like on our
much-beloved Vanagons.  And there is always much good advice that comes from
this group.  My daughter has a 1991 Jetta whose coolant outlet on the head
decided to separate into two parts and spray coolant over most of the engine
compartment.  I had a spare and was able to quickly replace it and the
coolant and drove it two miles to home.  However, since then, it has had the
ability to only intermintetly start.  That is, it will start and run fine.
You turn it off and it will not start again for another 4 to 12 hours.  The
starter will turn the engine over.  There is spark to the plugs. The fuel
pump powers up when you turn the key.  I can smell the gas in the cylinders
if I pull the plugs after not starting.  I've cleaned and dried every
electrical connection I can find - used WD 40, compressed air, contact
cleaner, more compressed air and hair dryer.  I'm going to redo the
distributor and hall send connection.

Has anyone had this problem before and/or have a good suggestion?

TIA.

rob u