Thanks all for the suggestions on trbl shooting my "hobbled vanagon" .
I believe I have narrowed down the problem to #4 cylinder not firing (
or getting fuel). I pulled each plug wire while it was running and when
doing so with #4 hardly noticed any change. The plug wire seems OK and
when compared to #4 has the same resistance when checked with an ohm
meter. So I am thinking that either the cylinder has lost compression or
could it be a wonky injector? ( I've already replaced the plugs
remember)  Can a cylinder just loose all compression at once ?

I guess one question I have:  Is it harmful to drive it in this
condition ? Once up to speed on the hwy it seems to move along OK ( and
coolant temp is normal) but when climbing or under a load it looses
power. I have about 250 miles to get back home.

Oh yeh BTW I am in HalfMoon Bay about 50 miles North of Santa Cruz and
am gonna stop by and see Peter at VanCafe so In case parts are needed I
should be OK.

-john

On 2/19/2011 6:48 PM, Mike S wrote:
> At 07:12 PM 2/19/2011, John Goubeaux wrote...
>> I'm on the road and several hundred miles from home ( southern CA) and
>> my 90 Vanagon has begun to run bad. It is missing and has a serious
>> reduction of power when under load.
>
> Try to narrow it down.
>
> Remove one plug wire at a time (both ends). If it's a spark problem,
> you won't notice much difference when you hit the bad cylinder. If all
> 4 make it worse, then try fuel. Pull the connector from one injector
> at a time - same thing, if you pull one and little change, that's the
> bad one.
>
> If that doesn't ID a bad cylinder, then the problem is probably
> systemic - bad timing, coil, cap, rotor, computer, fuel pressure,
> sensor, etc.