hard to start in the morning - *SOLVED*

First thanks to all of you for suggestions and ideas...

here's a long report...

the problem was fixed and the van starts at first crank in the morning. I
am not very proud of me and even ashamed of myself for negligence... I
found the problem by luck...

I spend some time on Saturday on the van with no good result, same as on
Sunday... at the end I am ready to wrap it up and plan to bring it to my
mechanic the next day...

I gave a last overall look and I found this...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=1573365

it's the wiring loom that goes from the firewall to the ICU (idle control
module) the black box behind the passenger tail light but moved to the rear
of the engine bay to make room for the external oil cooler. That wiring
loom was not secured properly and ended up making contact with power
steering pulley and got partially cut. The result is when it rests against
the pulley it makes a short of some kind thus preventing the van to
start... when I cranked it a few times with the rotation of the pulley that
wire loom moves away from the pulley a tiny bit... so there's no more short
and then engine starts.. when the engine was off for the night the wire
loom came in contact again with the pulley and the problem re-appears...

I fixed the severed wire loom and the problem is gone and the engine
started nicely this morning...

I was lucky that I didn't have a fire...

again ... thank you

dan