>From: Brian Ratliff <bratliff@hemisphere.neocomm.net>
Subject: diesel warm start ??

> Hi Volks,
> 
> 	I"m having problems starting the 82 Diesel Vanagon when it's the 
> engine is warm (after sitting about 2 hrs). It starts fine If its hot.
> 
> I don't thing the glows are working in a warm start situation...It' never fails
> to start in cold weather when the glow timer light comes on in the dash.
> 
> Some times the glow light flashes on and the glow timer clicks when its warm 
> but it takes several trys to start the diesel....not good for the poor old 
> starter!!!! 
> 

Best case your problem is due to the glow plug circuit (likely
the glow plug relay, or the temperature sensor (less likely ). Worst
case your engine has low compression (worn), or the timing is off
(you do pull the cold start advance knob, do you?).

Anyway, for a quick, dirty fix, just pull (and leave unconnected) the
wire to the glow plug temperature sensor on the head (or more
precisely on the fitting which connects the radiator return and the
thermostat bypass hoses. (There is a picture showing exactly what wire
on: http://www.cs.rochester.edu:80/u/jag/vw/engine/glowplugs/glowplugs.html
but please don't poke around with the other pages on the site.  I've
been working on some Diesel Westy pages for a while, but I'm not
finished yet. I'd like to organize everything and give proper credits
before I announce the site.)

Martin '82 Diesel Westy