Date:         Thu, 8 Jun 1995 23:13:11 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         SkiDooer@aol.com
Subject:      Re: Ignition prob ?, '85

Tim,

You might want to check the elec. part of the ignition switch in "your" '85
if you haven't already. I went through a tough time about 2 years ago on my
van when it would crank, but wouldn't fire. I replaced dist. caps, rotor,
wires, etc. Checked the injectors and about everything else I could think of.
The problem seemed to come and go, sometimes changing the cap with the old
cap would work. I sat at the Canadian border duty-free shop at 1,000 Islands
after midnight once all by myself switching parts, praying it would start!

Finally the van got to the point where it just wouldn't start--crank, but not
start--so I took it to my dealer. Turns out it was just burnt contacts in
part of the switch. There are at least 2 circuits going through the switch,
one to the starter, and another to the coil and all that stuff. Guess I was
thinking if the switch was bad, nothing would work.

It's worth checking. The part a couple years ago was only 30 bucks.

Good luck.  Dan