Ok, my $.02 here.  I "had" the same problem until I set the timing and the
fuel mixture just right.  Runs like a champ when warm.  I have an 83.5 1.9l
and have had the same problem for awhile.  I could get it to run fine
without the A/C, but when I had the A/C on, she just didn't have the horses
to get up and go from a dead stop.  I set the timing a few degrees ahead and
tweaked the fuel mixture at 2000 rpm and at idle till they were just right
then tweaked a little more.  So far so good.  btw, I used my oxygen sensor
to do the adjustment.  Not the most accurate way, but the most economical.

Pete
peterz@hawaii.rr.com
83.5 Vanagon

-----Original Message-----
From: Rubatoguy <Rubatoguy@MINDSPRING.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Wednesday, June 09, 1999 5:34 PM
Subject: Re: Low power 1 min after start?

>My '88 Westy does the exact same thing.
>I spent last weekend making sure all the clamps on the afm were tight, and
>cleaned it out with electrical cleaner. In addition, I used the unused
threaded
>holes in the AFM and each head to install a grounding wire from each to the
the
>engine block.
>
>All of these helped a little bit, but the problem still remains.
>
>My next step is to test the O2 sensor and temp2 sensor.
>
>
>Todd
>'88 Westy
>
>Bob Norman wrote:
>
>> my mothers '88 westy does this, has been for a couple of months.  I had
>> thought that it may have to do with the AFM needing a squirt of
>> electrical cleaner.  I had planned to do it this weekend.  But if I
>> remember correctly, you've done this already, so I guess that's not the
>> problem.
>>
>> Anyone?
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Bob Norman
>>
>> Marshall Ruskin wrote:
>> >
>> > Hi Volks:
>> >
>> > My Westy initially starts and accelerates normally, ......
>> >
>> > and three blocks I stop at a light. The Westy then barely crawls away -
>> > maybe 5 mph by the other side of the intersection. With the gas even
>> > floored! SLOWLY it gathers speed, and seems to gain more power as the
revs
>> > come up. Then it seems mostly normal. It will repeat this at the next
few
>> > lights. It goes away after awhile.
>> >
>> > It does not usually do this when the engines good and hot, or after
it's
>> > been parked for only a couple of hours - it's worst first thing in the
>> > morning.
>> >
>> > This is not like the bucking thing  - it is not bucking.
>> >
>> > Could it be ignition related?
>> > Fuel-pump or pressure regulator related?
>> > Vacuum leak related?
>> >
>> > Has anybody else experienced this - I've not heard of it before. I'm
kinda
>> > worried about it, as it's never done this before very recently.
>> >
>> > Marshall Ruskin
>> > 84 Westy "Iron Igloo"
>> > Founding Member of "Vanagon's Anonymous"