>
> Last fall I thought I had a dragging starter. It was not wanting to
> start when the engine was hot more and more. It also began to become
> sluggish. I bought a new one from Ron at the Bus Depot thinking that
> would fix the problem. The winter has gone and now spring has arrived
> and the 'not-wanting-to-start-when-hot' problem has returned. I searched
> the archives but must not have done a good job because I didn't find
> anything about dragging starters or non-starting when hot.
>
> I've checked every ground (even installed a separate steel cable from
> the negative terminal on the starter to the chassis) but she just wont
> start when hot. Could I have installed a bad starter out of the box? Do
> I still have a ground problem? Any suggestions would be helpful. I'm
> getting tired of asking strangers to turn the ignition key while I tap
> the starter solenoid with a pipe. Not to mention the thought that I
> don't really know if my van will start every time I turn the key.

Common problem, easy cheap fix.  See
http://www.type2.com/bartnik/relay.htm

--
Sean Bartnik
Fredericksburg, Virginia
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon L Westfalia
1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia convertible
http://www.type2.com/bartnik/myvan.htm
http://www.mwc.edu/~sbart7kb/vwbooks.htm