Date:         Tue, 4 Dec 2001 09:53:01 -0600
Reply-To:     Laura Olson <laura@ONEOTA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Laura Olson <laura@ONEOTA.NET>
Subject:      82 with hot start problem (long saga)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I would guess this subject has been covered sometime, but I flit on and off
the list as my life allows.  This past August, I took a trip from NE Iowa
to Glacier National Park with three young boys and the family dog in my
1982 air cooled Westy.  Before I left I had a whole new exhaust system
installed and purchased a new battery, even though my old one was probably
fine.  I bought the battery because I had had some strange starting
problems three previous times in the Spring and Summer-had a new starter in
2000.  The battery did not solve the problem.  As soon as I was 5 hours
away and stopped for a picnic lunch at a rest stop, the van would not
start.  The three previous times this had happened, it started right up
with a jump.  This tow truck driver tried his battery charger and it didn't
go, so towed me to an import repair shop in Sioux Falls, where we had to
spend the night as they couldn't possibly look at it until morning.  Oh,
joy.  Of course, it started right up in the morning and I let him put in a
new ignition switch in case that was burning out.  He lent me a battery to
jump from and off we went.  This time, we made it as far as Wall, SD (it
started after the first two stops for gas) and it wouldn't start.  We
wandered through Wall Drug for two hours hoping it would cool down enough
to start.  No dice-so I got a guy to jump it who sent me to a place in
Rapid City with German mechanics.  The next day, they fixed it!!!  They
checked the drop voltage on everything and replaced the voltage regulator.
I was wary and didn't turn it off that day until parked for the night in a
state park outside Thermopolis, WY.  I tried to start it again and it
worked!  I was overjoyed.  For the next 10 days, the Vanagon was once again
in my sons' good graces and we drove all over Wyoming and Montana without
fear of turning it off for gas or hikes or lunch.  It was always in the
90's on this trip.   Feeling somewhat cocky, we started home and it started
happening again, not far from Billings, Montana.   I had to have it jumped
at a gas station, but not in the morning after setting all night.  The next
morning, I thought a short drive (1 hour) to the Little Bighorn Battlefield
would not cause a problem, but it wouldn't start there either (probably our
hottest day).  The bikers returning from the Sturgis rally were helpful.
Anyway, I was determined to get back to Import Services in Rapid City.  I
drove without turning it off until the Black Hills, where we spent two
nights waiting for Monday morning.  Took it in Monday morning and they said
they couldn't look at it until Wednesday so I said screw it, and drove
home.  I didn't turn it off until I was parked for the night.  Except I
stopped at the first repair shop in Sioux Falls so I could drop off the
battery he had loaned me, and I had three guys out there stumped. They
tried to start it and checked the voltage on the battery (12 something),
then tried to jump it with a charger pack (12 something, a little higher),
then jumped it with a car and cables and it started with 13 something.  It
has started faithfully since but I haven't driven it for more than an hour
at a time.  My mechanics here in town are confused; of course it never
happens in town where they can observe it.  Any ideas on whether this is
fixable.  It is frustrating because I bought the Westy for long trips-I
live to drive around the country-but am planning our Spring trip to Phoenix
and summer trip to Seattle in our trusty Honda wagon with a tent strapped
to the top. Help.  Thanks,  Laura