Edmund,

I have a very similar problem with my 1980.  Basically, the first start
of the day is a nightmare.  It used to be that I'd have to give it one
30 second (or so) cycle, then wait a minute, then give it another 30
second cycle, then wait a minute, then on the third cycle I'd hear it
cough.  At this point I would wait another minute and then it would fire
up (coughing more and more until it was running).  Now I've noticed that
sometimes (more often than not) it won't start at all for the first
number of cycles.  However, if I walk away for 15 minutes or more, the
next time I try, it starts right away.  I'd love to hear what you
discover as you try to resolve your similar problem.

Willy
1980 Westfalia "Jazzy"

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Edmund Shotwell
Sent: May 20, 2003 5:15 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Daily First Start Hard

I have a second problem.
Every day the first time I start my 86 GL it is hard to get it to fire.
The
more moisture in the air the harder it is to get going.  But after it
does
start, I don't have any more hard starts all day.  Even after it sits at
work for several hours.

What happens the first time each day is I have to crank it for 1 to 3
minutes and then just as I let go of the key it will turn over once.
Then I
crank it with the gas pedal down and it usually fires up within another
minute or so.  The rest of the day it starts within 10 seconds.  I have
made
sure everything is plugged in in the engine compartment, and I have
replaced
the cap and rotor, and the plugs. but still the hard start in the
morning.
Today I had to give up as it did not start after fifteen minutes of
trying.