I suspect that you are having trouble with your starter, actually your solenoid.
Volkswagen has long had a problem with their starters, although it usually shows
up on Golfs/Jettas/Rabbits that are automatic, where the starter is mounted
under the exhaust manifold.  End result, starter gets too hot, and after driving
for longer distances, the car would start immediately after stopping, but if you
let the car sit for 10 minutes, the heat would build up and render the starter
useless.  After letting it cool down for a while, everything would be ok.  This
is my guess, although I know that the mounting for the vanagon is the same for
straight/automatic.

Z

---------------------- Forwarded by Zoran Mladen/AMS/AMSINC on 02/01/2000 04:18
PM ---------------------------

hugo lerner <bibliotk@XMISSION.COM> on 02/01/2000 03:26:33 PM

Please respond to hugo lerner <bibliotk@XMISSION.COM>

To:   vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
cc:    (bcc: Zoran Mladen/AMS/AMSINC)
Subject:  "stella" no sound,no start

hello everyone,

yesterday,  i returned from a 4-day road trip with my '87 westy and it ran
like a champ.  i even had splurted that comment, with much pride, to my
girlfriend sitting next to me before we entered a gas station to fill up
only an hour away from our final destination, salt lake city.
after i filled up, i turned the ignition and...nothing.  the dash lights all
came on but no sound, no start.  i looked at the battery(less than a year
old)and asked someone for a jump with no results.  i proceeded to look at
the fuse box and i jingled with the relays and tried starting stella again
and she started.

did i do something right or was it coincidence that i got it started, and
had nothing to do with the relays?

hugo @ slc, utah