Date:         Sat, 29 Nov 2014 21:09:12 -0800
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Won't Start in St. Helena, Napa County
Comments: To: Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
In-Reply-To:  <547A4131.7000101@sbw.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Are you sure you have fuel?  Did you track the miles since your last fill
up?  It's a 15.6 gallon tank. Figure 18 mpg, about 280 miles more or less.

If you do, check the spark by pulling the center wire off the distributor
and placing it near some part of the engine (1/2" or so) and crank.  Do not
hold on to it!

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Steve Williams
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2014 1:57 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Won't Start in St. Helena, Napa County

Any recommendations for a shop or other expert to diagnose a failure to
start?  I'm with relatives in St. Helena, north of Napa, California.
There are a couple of shops in town, so I can call AAA on Monday when they
open.  But in the meantime, I'd welcome advice.

'84 Wolfsburg Westy with a Gowesty 2.3L waterboxer.  Driven several times a
week.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/volkswagen/vanagon/1984/sbw/16898

Ran fine 100 miles on the way up here Thursday after having a coolant hose
replaced the day before at Peninsula Automotive.

Camped two nights in the driveway with the charger plugged in.  Now it won't
start.  Light rain last night, but it rained harder down in Santa Cruz a few
days ago.

The fuel pump comes on and then goes off when I turn the key, and there's
fuel in the tank.  The topped-off battery spins the gear reduction starter
just fine.  The engine fires only occasionally while cranking.  The cranking
is interrupted periodically by a brief "stall"--ill-timed spark, maybe?

Nothing obviously wrong in the engine compartment, but I'm no expert.

Clogged fuel filter?  Bad ECU?  (I've got a never-tried spare ECU with
me.)  Anything else I might try on my own?

Thanks, all.