>   I'm pretty much stranded in Phoenix due to this little
> problem.  The current situation is that when I cruise down
> the highway all is fine, but when I put a bit of a load on
> the motor it begins to crap out.  I have to ease back on.....

One thing that does not get a lot of attention is the O2 sensor and wiring.  A
bad O2 sensor or bad connection with the O2 sensor wiring can cause the wrong
information to be sent to the control unit.  I have a friend with a 1986 vanagon
who had a shorted O2 sensor wire.  The van would run ok for a while but would
eventually die, and would be difficult to start.  Putting additional load on the
engine caused the engine to stall.  Check your O2 sensor, O2 sensor wires and
all grounds for the control unit located in the engine compartment.  Finding the
short in the O2 sensor wire solved my friends problem.  

Mike Plickys
1987 Syncro