The problem that you = are experiencing is called "bucking" and it is extremely common with vanagons.

There are at least 3 solutions to it. = (There are many many discussions with term "bucking" in the archives)

1. Most expensive = solution: replace air flow meter

2. Next most = expensive solution: purchase special harness from dealer, about $100 - $150

3. cheaper sol'n: = Wire up a small capacitor to the AFM, some trouble to do - cost about $3.00

4. Even cheaper = sol'n: Open lid of AFM, and clean with spray ELECTRONIC cleaner, move wiper to and fro. = Then close up lid. Works very well. Cost $3.00 or less.

5. Cheapest sol'n: = Open afm, move the potentiometer's wiper contact surface so the wiper contacts a fresh = surface. Some serious skill required. Cost $0.00.

For detailed information on this: use = the archives via email (by far the best way to use them) and search on = "bucking" over the last year or so.

Our Vanagon GL Camper from 86 is = giving us some serious troubles lately. I'm not very technical and English is not = my motherlanguage so I will try to explain what's happening. When the = Van is running, the rpm gauge is flipping up and down while the car starts = to shock. So it looks to me that the ignition is cut off = randomly. This problem comes and goes but when it acts up its no fun to = drive in the car. The problem does not act up when the car is idle-ing, which = makes it very hard to track down the problem in a garage. It's not = the coil and not the distributor because they were exchanged and the = problem still acted up. The mechanics couldn't find anything and only = cleaned the whole circuit/connections. Since then the Van ran fine for a 1000 = mile but today the problem was back. From two different sides I heard that = this problem has to do with the grounding of the electrical circuit = and that other electrical device ( like power windows or maybe the fridge) = can disturb the ignition circuit.

Is there somebody who recognizes = this problem and has an idea about the cause and how to solve it?? We really like = our Van and we want to keep it on the road for another 1.5 year to see = something of the States, but at the moment we feel like riding a time = bomb.

Jacksonville, Florida