Date:         Sat, 14 Dec 1996 10:35:50 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         zwoods@tiac.net (Zach Woods)
Subject:      Re: 87 Syncro Westy poltergeist

Bob -

I too have an '87 Syncro Westy (but would guess the solution I am about to
describe would hold true for any Vanagon with a similarly designed
Distributor).

I had exactly the same symptoms (engine would stutter, stall and eventually
not start at all) and exactly the same trouble getting anyone to either
believe me or diagnose the problem.  The solution turned out to be: REPLACE
THE DISTRIBUTOR!

Within the distributor there are 1 or more tiny wires that can not be
easily accessed or replaced.  I believe they go to the Hall Sending Unit
(and on some models it may be possible to repair the distributor with a new
Hall Sending Unit - on my '87 the distributor internal bits were not
available and it was for all intents and purposes a sealed unit).  What
happens is the following: the wires wear and eventually break within their
insulation.  The problem starts as a stutter because the wires are only
frayed giving occasionally bad contact.  Then as the wires break and pull
apart the stutter becomes a stall and eventually the wires have pulled far
enough apart to break the connection permanently and the vehicle will not
start.  As the vehicles engine runs vibration and heat will cause the wires
to pull apart.  As the vehicles engine cools the wires may come back into
contact allowing the engine to run as "good as new".  There is basically no
way to test this or find the broken wires because they look good from the
outside.  Insist that your dealer give you a NEW distributor (they aren't
cheap and I feel that VW should pay for this one given their inability to
come to understand the problem!)

I do wish VW would become more aware of this problem!  It can cause no end
of discouragement!

Best of Luck & Best of the Holidays!

Zach

P.S. Can you tell that this poltergeist drove me insane over a 3 or so year
period!?!?!?!  Finally the van quit completely and it was then possible to
reliably diagnose the problem.  I haven't had the problem since replacing
the distributor - can't guarantee this is your problem but I will bet a LOT
of money on it!


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