David,

They do seem to work themselves loose, and you are correct: no RPM
signal from the hall, no fuel injection.  Bucking, wacky tachometer,
etc.

Besides getting a new distributor or just the part with the hall
sender (see below), epoxying and electrical tape seems to have worked
for a number of people with whom I've corresponded about this.

Now, Jim Thompson wrote this message a while back regarding just the
part for the hall sender:

--- begin included text ---
Send reply to:    Old Volks Home <jim@OLDVOLKSHOME.COM>
From:             Old Volks Home <jim@OLDVOLKSHOME.COM>
Subject:               Re: Engine stumbling, hesitations... again

At 04:36 PM 3/9/98 EST, DEREKWH125 wrote:
>After having a similar problem and switching in a rebuilt ECU with no
change I
>narrowed it down to the Hall sender. Unfortunately, though I removed
>the sender from the distributor, I learned  that it was not available
>as a separate pieace. I bought a new distributor and haven't had a
>stumble since.
--------------------------------------------

After a ton of research late last year, I finally latched onto the
interchange to a Distributor Parts Interchange from a Bosch Rep (had
to xerox it).   It fits 85-91 Vanagons and I get $89.06 for it.  Kinda
pricey, but a lot less than for a whole new distributor.

Order my Part Number 025-9086B ('cause there is no VW Number and not
offered separately at Volkswagen).

Cheers!

Jim Thompson
--- end included text ---

Regards,

-Karl
Karl F. Bloss - blosskf@apci.com or bloss@enter.net
'87 Vanagon GL Weekender "Beverley"; Trexlertown, PA
http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/
Busses by the Trail: http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/bbtt/