Date:         Tue, 1 Dec 2009 13:47:28 -0800
Reply-To:     Dave Lindemann <d_g_lindemann@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Lindemann <d_g_lindemann@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      cold start skipping
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I am the proud new owner of a 1990 Vanagon.  The van is great but it takes a few minutes to warm up.  It starts right up, but there is an engine skip when it first starts up.  If I let it run for 3 or 4 minutes, the skip goes away and off I go.  If I try to drive with the skip, it is very difficult not to stall and the van bucks with extremes of stopping and going.  It looks like there is a new distributor and spark plugs and the van seems to have been very well maintained by the previous owner.  The other noticable problem which may or may not be related is a gas leak.  When I fill the gas tank completely, there is gas leaking on the ground under the tank.  If I only fill the tank to about 3/4, there is no gas smell or gas leak.
The skip almost seems like it could be some type of choke control.  My other thought is that the fuel compression is compromised by the leak in the tank.
Please let me know if anyone has any ideas about this problem.
Thanks,
Dave