Hello all! have a 79 245dl with 179k on it, has been really hard starting lately over the past few months, like it is not getting gas. sometimes up to 20 mins of cranking to get it started, then runs great, but if it sits a few days we start all over again! once in a while it is hard starting when it is warm. any ideas? thanks!

Like Bob says, it could be the Warm Up Regulator, or some other fuel-related item. But since the fuel system is dead until The Fuel relay "senses" coil action, I'd say to check for spark when it's in "failure mode".

If spark is OK, you can only guess without a basic Fuel Pressure test. This means measuring both Control and System pressures, which takes a special K-Jet gauge setup.
For that you have two choices:

1) Find a local shop that serviced VWs in the eighties when K-jet was in its prime.

2) Get your own gauge at JC Whitney for about $60 + shipping and become the local expert yourself. [The gauge in the JCW picture is the cheaper one, NOT the one you need.]

--
Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

A balky cold start sounds like the warmup regulator to me. Balky warm starts might be the fuel accumulator failing. Is the latter dribbling gas out the rear weep hole?