My '84 1.9 did the same thing 2 days after I got it.  Now I don't know if this is related to your problem but mine did the same exact thing- I had to floor it just to get to 60mph.  It ran rough etc.  I brought it back to my mechanic and he found the problem in 15 seconds.  It seems the electrical connection to one of my fuel injectors was disconnected.  As soon as he connected it the problems went away and the van felt like a new vehicle.  Check your connections to your injectors, maybe you have a loose connection or a short...

Schmidt wrote:

 List, I searched the archives and found others in my shoes but didn'tfind a solution. Here goes:'84 1.9 runs fantastic usually.  Occasionally she spazzes while cruising and won't accel even when the pedal is floored.  Stop and idle and it is rough, rough!  Also, there is poor pedal response from a stop-again an accel problem. Does this for miles and miles with mpg suffering.  However, if I shut her off for even an instance, power is back and she purrs like a fat cat.My problem seems similar to others in the archives, except it doesn't stall out, it is not hot/cold/wet dependent, it is not altitude dependent.Surely someone on the list has put their finger on this seemingly common set of symptoms. Toss me a bone please.Jay, I own that (1) vanagon in Indiana For you thinkers wanting extra credit:More info, cause info is good:1984 wolfsburg westy, equals power steering, A/C,autotransStockLast year she got a new exhaust and o2 sensor, mo cat, plugs, rotor, cap, air filter, fuel filter , phos-phree coolant, one new head, new belts, battery, cleaned injecters, yadda yadda...Speedo says 138KThis may grab you->  I recently noticed the green wire to the o2 sens had fallen onto the exhaust and burned the insulation in one spot,  I elec taped it to reinsulate--heavily so it would serve as a grommet into the cooling tin above to prevent this from reoccurring.   I think the prob existed before she burned , and does exist aft the fix.I did not spring for plug wires yet, but feel this is not likely causing the sx.Thanks for loaning me your knoggin!Jay