My '80 Westy does the same thing.  Finally caught it for certain
once...wouldn't turn the starter, then I rapped on the solenoid and it
started.  How do you clean and relube a starter solenoid?  The starter is
about six months old.  If cleaning the solenoid doesn't fix my problem, can
just the solenoid be replaced or do I have to replace the starter, too?

Thanks for any help,

Skip Emmert-Keaton
1980 Westy <unnamed>

Date:    Wed, 21 Jan 2004 19:01:03 -0800
From:    Peter Arnautoff <blueydsoul@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Syncro sporadic starting

Does anybody else have this problem?  My '87 Vanagon Syncro sometimes =
doesn't start.  By that I mean that I'll turn the key, hear the fuel =
pump being primed, and turn the key to start the engine and nothing.  I =
have checked the battery and it is fine.  What makes this unusual is =
that I will come back (sometimes in a few minutes, sometimes in a few =
days) and it will start right up.  It doesn't seem to be tied to the =
weather. =20

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Pete

<snip>4.    It could be that your solenoid needs to be cleaned and relubed.

Mike
Houlton, Maine
'84 GL 7 pass
'85 GL Westy</snip>