Laura, I have same problem with starter on my '84 WBX.  Starter is only a
little over a year old.  In the hot Georgia summers, starter gets warm
enough that the solenoid won't move.  I carry a ball pean hammer.  If
starter won't work, generally a few taps on the solenoid will get it going.

I had a 1982 diesel Vanagon that I bought new and get it until 1991.  It had
the same problem once the original starter wore out and I was dealing with
rebuilds.

John Lauterbach
Macon, GA
'84 7-passenger

----- Original Message -----
From: "Laura Olson" <laura@ONEOTA.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2001 10:53 AM
Subject: 82 with hot start problem (long saga)

> I would guess this subject has been covered sometime, but I flit on and
off
> the list as my life allows.  This past August, I took a trip from NE Iowa
> to Glacier National Park with three young boys and the family dog in my
> 1982 air cooled Westy.  Before I left I had a whole new exhaust system
> installed and purchased a new battery, even though my old one was probably
> fine.  I bought the battery because I had had some strange starting
> problems three previous times in the Spring and Summer-had a new starter
in
> 2000.  The battery did not solve the problem.  As soon as I was 5 hours
> away and stopped for a picnic lunch at a rest stop, the van would not
> start.  The three previous times this had happened, it started right up
> with a jump.  This tow truck driver tried his battery charger and it
didn't
> go, so towed me to an import repair shop in Sioux Falls, where we had to
> spend the night as they couldn't possibly look at it until morning.  Oh,
> joy.  Of course, it started right up in the morning and I let him put in a
> new ignition switch in case that was burning out.  He lent me a battery to
> jump from and off we went.  This time, we made it as far as Wall, SD (it
> started after the first two stops for gas) and it wouldn't start.  We
> wandered through Wall Drug for two hours hoping it would cool down enough
> to start.  No dice-so I got a guy to jump it who sent me to a place in
> Rapid City with German mechanics.  The next day, they fixed it!!!  They
> checked the drop voltage on everything and replaced the voltage regulator.
> I was wary and didn't turn it off that day until parked for the night in a
> state park outside Thermopolis, WY.  I tried to start it again and it
> worked!  I was overjoyed.  For the next 10 days, the Vanagon was once
again
> in my sons' good graces and we drove all over Wyoming and Montana without
> fear of turning it off for gas or hikes or lunch.  It was always in the
> 90's on this trip.   Feeling somewhat cocky, we started home and it
started
> happening again, not far from Billings, Montana.   I had to have it jumped
> at a gas station, but not in the morning after setting all night.  The
next
> morning, I thought a short drive (1 hour) to the Little Bighorn
Battlefield
> would not cause a problem, but it wouldn't start there either (probably
our
> hottest day).  The bikers returning from the Sturgis rally were helpful.
> Anyway, I was determined to get back to Import Services in Rapid City.  I
> drove without turning it off until the Black Hills, where we spent two
> nights waiting for Monday morning.  Took it in Monday morning and they
said
> they couldn't look at it until Wednesday so I said screw it, and drove
> home.  I didn't turn it off until I was parked for the night.  Except I
> stopped at the first repair shop in Sioux Falls so I could drop off the
> battery he had loaned me, and I had three guys out there stumped. They
> tried to start it and checked the voltage on the battery (12 something),
> then tried to jump it with a charger pack (12 something, a little higher),
> then jumped it with a car and cables and it started with 13 something.  It
> has started faithfully since but I haven't driven it for more than an hour
> at a time.  My mechanics here in town are confused; of course it never
> happens in town where they can observe it.  Any ideas on whether this is
> fixable.  It is frustrating because I bought the Westy for long trips-I
> live to drive around the country-but am planning our Spring trip to
Phoenix
> and summer trip to Seattle in our trusty Honda wagon with a tent strapped
> to the top. Help.  Thanks,  Laura
>