Scenario:

Sam's parking lot with a nice slope.

Vehicle - '88 GL with manual Tranny.

Park. First gear. set Brake. Exit vehicle.

Spend the money in Sams.

Back to the parking lot.

Unlock, enter driver side, close door - WHAM - door won't even shut.
Bounces back open. Examine locking mechanism - something is loose. Work
with the little loose thingamajig until it flips over and will engage
the locking bar on the door post. (Mental note to self - look and see
what's loose when home.)

Key in the ignition - Tranny to neutral, turn switch - system hot, pause
- turn switch to engage starter. Starter engages and turns engine like
crazy. Engine refuses to start. Doesn't even sputter. Ignition off - try
a gain. Same scene. No start - even a sputter.

Next effort: Vehicle in 3rd gear - clutch in, ignition on but not to
start, release brake, turn wheels towards down hill, start to roll. Pick
up a little speed, release clutch, engine coughs, starts, runs fine all
the way home.

Test: Tried it again. Same scenario. Starter turns engine but it won't
start. Roll it down hill, engage engine with ignition on - starts every
time.

It's a mystery.

Anyone have any ideas as to what's going on?? Door AND engine?? Vanagon
gremlins have taken up residency maybe? I'm mystified.

Thanks,

John