Hello Scott:

Thank you for your suggestions.  So far, have found that #1 plug was not
firing on account of a very new, but defective Bosch plugwire.  Plug
electrode was coated with black soot.  Cleaned it and reinstalled.

Had not only change that wire, but also equally new cap before I could
get consistent flashes off my timing light.  Have also got timing back
in the ballpark.  Bolt/nut that keep distributor body from rotating were
not tight.

Next step is to check the idle switches.

John

On Sat, 2011-12-10 at 00:09 -0800, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> throttle switch making contact at idle.
>
> my what I see ..
> about 70 % of vanagons have that feature not working..
> at least half of the ones I see.
> and people who do 'tune ups' .....
> I sure don't get the impression that they know to check for that very
> important input.
>
> many vans have their timing too advanced too , a little is ok, but
> significantly too advanced timing is not right.
>
> also ..here's one for you ..
> I swear ........I mean .REALLY .......
> I can't possibly be the only vanagon tech in North American that knows why
> there is a felt pad under the rotor on the distributor in a 1.9 Digijet
> vanagon engine ..
> but ..
> of the many dozens, even hundreds of vanagons I see full time..
> I have yet to see one of those felt pads oiled ..
> even on multi-thousand dollar rebuilt engine installations.
>
> it's there to lube the centrifugal advance mechanism.
>  a few drops of fine oil.
> it is a service item .
> like once a year say.  don't overdo it ..just a few drops.
>
> and ..'tune up' wise ..
> Bosch tune up parts barely wear ..
> it's not usually anything to do with cap, rotor, plugs, wires ..( poor
> running )
> they can of course get old and even fail...
> but 95 % of the time ..........they're pretty good and working nicely.
> Non-Bosch parts I usually just replace.
> Spark plugs can be NGK or whatever ..just so they are gapped right ..
> and here's another nit-pick.
> I swear I must be the only tech in North American that knows that spark
> plugs are not installed in any engine with bone dry threads. Some
> anti -seize is right.
>
> it's in the workmanship ..
> it's not in the parts.
> Most vanagon weirdness can be fixed with fine tuning, adjustments, cleaning
> etc..
> that's not to say parts don't get tired ..they do ..
> but 'putting in the parts' is only incidental to ACTUALLY fine tuning and
> sorting out a vanagon engine to run right.
> I've had some take a while to get fully sorted out for sure.
>
> one part I have seen be very intermittent for starting is the Idle
> Stabilizer .
> Fortunately they are available new from Van Cafe ..
> and I prefer to have that part in the circuit ..
> it will run with it bypassed.
>
> don't forget to check for vacuum leaks.
> I have seen up to 10 on one engine from throttle body to plenum, to intake
> runners...
> even the screws that hold the fuel pressure regulator on.
>
> oddly ..one 84 Westy I take care of ..
> I found quite a lot of water in the gas ..water and junk, and the fuel tank
> is only 5 months old.
>
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Lauterbach" <jhlauterbach@BELLSOUTH.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, December 09, 2011 9:10 PM
> Subject: End of saga? -- Back home with '84 with rebuilt head
>
>
> > Van is back in it home garage.
> >
> > VW Service by Ron in Daytona Beach finished repairs on Wednesday and I
> > picked up van yesterday and drove it back to Macon last night.  Sometime
> > on trip back, the O2-sensor stopped working and I had problems keeping
> > the van from stalling when I was at a traffic light.  Also, black soot
> > had come back on end of tailpipe and exhaust at idle had gasoline smell.
> >
> > This morning, I disconnected wire O2-sensor and idle smoothed out.
> > O2-sensor (Bosch) was less than two months old.
> >
> > Idle is still not as smooth as it should be and engine has different
> > sound than it did before.
> >
> > I plan on checking the timing and engine vacuum over this weekend.
> >
> > Anything else I should check?
> >
> > John