Well, Bertha our new-to-us '81 Adventurewagen, as of two weeks ago, is
certainly living up to her name.

Drove her from Sacramento up to Chico beginning just before noon today
(arrived in Chico at about 2PM), where we filled her up with gas. She
wouldn't start. Let her cool down for an hour; no luck. Banged on the
starter with a hammer....no luck. Towed to the local VW dealer....mechanic
gave the starter one tap with a hammer, with the ignition key in the start
position (key point?), and she fired right up.

Normal highway oil temperature is 260 degrees (sensor in the bottom of the
engine....a temperature gauge is one of the upgrades we had put in her right
after the purchase). Climbing out of Chico on highway 32, a moderately
steep, somewhat long grade, at 45-50 mph in 3rd gear....she hit 300 degrees
quite quickly and a tapping noise (rods?) started coming from the engine
compartment. Turned around right way and headed back down the hill for
home....temperature dropped back to 260...climbing to 270 or so at red
lights.

Back in the driveway at home......won't start again.

The oil temperature has me very very concerned. Simply a combination of a
steep grade in the middle of the afternoon in the Sacramento Valley....or
something more worrisome? Did I do permanent damage to Bertha's engine (she
'sounds' normal now)? Is the starter quirk 'normal' (Saint Muir's book seems
to indicate this) and do I therefore just need to keep a hammer handy...or
do I replace the starter, or do something else? My wife wants to take Bertha
back out in the morning, albeit to a more moderate environment.....would
this be totally nuts?

So many questions...any and all advice welcomed. Thanks in advance! (and
happy Labor Day weekend, all)
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Brian Dipert
Sacramento, California
mailto:bdipert@pacbell.net
Visit me at http://www.bdipert.com

Fare thee well now
Let your life proceed by its own design.
-Grateful Dead, 'Cassidy'