Date:         Tue, 02 Jan 1996 08:46:00 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@PO2.GI.COM>
Subject:      RE: '83 Vanagon woes


>Any ideas what might prevent an '83 Vanagon (fuel injected, water cooled)
>from wanting to restart after running for a short period of time??  It has
>no problem starting on cold mornings, but after a quick ride, and 
shut-down,
>it won't start up again.  It cranks, but does not connect.  So far we know
>that all four plugs are sparking, the fuel pump is pumping,  the fuel 
filter
>has been changed.  Occassionally it will struggle and kick in after a few
>tries and lots of pressure on the gas pedal.  Usually, it just needs to sit
>for e few hours and then it will go again.  Our local mechanics are 
stumped.
>Any ideas??

Hmmm... you've eliminated the usual suspects, which leaves either gremlins,
or that big black box of mystery called a Fuel Injection System.

Possible gremlins (this means I have no clue so I'm gonna guess):

Water in the gas, which pools down in a low part of the fuel system and
doesn't get to your engine till you've gone thru half a gallon or so?
That'll give you a short run, then no go. Tell me, have you done any
LONG runs from a cold start?

An intermittent in your ignition switch? Maybe when temps are low and there
hasn't been any vibration for a while (like overnight), the ignition makes
connections and you're fine. But after the vibration and warmup (if any)
of the short run, it doesn't deliver juice any more?  But then, I guess
your plugs wouldn't be sparking if that were the case, so *never mind*.


Only other things I can guess, are fuel system. If it were a carb, I'd
say you were running rich, due to a misadjusted float, leaking needle valve,
or overenthusiastic accelerator pump that was flooding your engine. But 
again,
*never mind*-- maybe the fuel injection system is duplicating these actions
in its own inscrutable electronic way? When you crank it but it won't 
connect,
can you smell gas? How has your gas mileage been recently?

Good luck. Sorry I couldn't help more. Let me know how it goes.

Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com   '80 V6anagon
                              '71 VW Transporter