Hot start issues (air-cooled)

[bus bruce]

I have a 1982 Westy 2.0. I have replaced the starter and the ignition coil but the van will not start when hot. It makes a slow crank over noise. Do I need to replace anything else like the plugs, distributor cap and spark plug wires? Has anyone else had this problem before? Any help works for me.

[VicVan]

slow crank : how is the battery? (Voltage at rest, voltage while cranking, voltage after cranking, clean grounds...)
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[bus bruce]

the battery is about five years old . But i do take care of it in the winter when in storage. I will check though thanks

[4Gears4Tires]

I had this issue on my 87. Putting a jump pack (small 12v golf cart battery) on it would get it to crank over normally. I bought the hot start relay and a new starter. The new starter fixed it for me so I didn't add the relay. Since you've already replaced the starter, I would add the hot start relay.
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[vanis13]

[bus bruce]

I did have this issue on my last starter also. My local mechanic told me to get it hot then take the middle wire off of my distributor cap and see if it rolls fast to start. If thats the case then my TDC timing could be off. Any insite on that theory?

[Igeo]

Disabling the ignition is a valid diagnostic test for slow cranking. If the ignition timing is too early (advanced) then the igniting fuel mixture can fight the rising piston. Usually if this is the case, the slow cranking is uneven.
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1987 Westfalia 2.1 WBX Manual

[vanis13]

[bus bruce]

So I want to adjust my timing. I found the tension bolt for the distributor cap but the belts are covered. Can I adjust it without taking everything apart to seethe marks??

[pathao]

[danfromsyr]

you of course have cleaned the battery terminals
the ground strap to the battery box bolt
both ends of the ground strap between the transaxle & the chassis underneath

just because your 5yr old battery tests ok in voltage does not mean it is capable of still delivering the needed AMPS


5 year old battery is very near it's End of life.
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[bus bruce]

so I got a new battery a new starter new plugs new distributor cap and rotor and ignition coil. Thanks for the tip on the timing through the license. Bringing it to my guy to make it easy.

[bus bruce]

Here is the newest update and I’m still having issues. I sent out my mass airflow center. Had that rebuilt. Runs great starts great when cold. Put on about 80 miles last Sunday stopped normally I have to let it sit for 40 minutes this time I had to sit for two hours and it still wouldn’t start. But when I push start it rolls right over. I did just order a new fuel pump and fuel filter from Go West. The fuel filter is the style that goes on after the pump which I was told to do. Both of those two parts looked old. I hope this fixes the problem. Does anybody else have any thoughts if this does not work

[fxr]

Have you replaced the starter ground from the dodgy front-of-transaxle to a direct-to-starter-body one? Have you added a 'hard start relay'? Have you done voltage drop tests?

Just throwing parts at the problem doesn't diagnose the cause properly.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[Ahwahnee]

[ilocan]

I had the same hot start issue and it’s probably the only item that you haven’t mention replacing yet and that is your battery cables, the positive cable running from your battery to your starter, and the negative ground battery cable. You need to replace your old cables with a larger gauge cable. And for added measure, run another ground cable right off the starter mounts to the frame of the car.

[bus bruce]

Great information thank you very much. I have heard of the hot start relay before. And I believe when they added the bigger starter to the van, they did add larger gauge cables, but I will crawl under there and check. I was just thinking that there might be some type of vapor lock when it’s hot and it’s not letting the gas Pull through since it is not a tank electric gas pump.

[bus bruce]

All right, thanks for all of the recommendations. I have a hot start relay on order and I’m gonna put the other stuff in just for a good measure. And I will send another post in a couple weeks and let you know the status. Thanks for everybody’s help, I appreciate it.

[Wildthings]

What did you set your timing too? Best to set it at 28° BTDC @ 3800+ rpms, both hoses removed from the distributor can and plugged. check that both cans hold vacuum before reinstalling the hoses when you are done. If you have a digital idle stabilizer you need to have it bypassed while setting the timing. Make sure you are adding a drop or two of motor oil to the felt under the rotor every 10,000 miles or so. If this hasn't been done in decades start by using ATF, Marvel Mystery Oil, or something else nice and thin. Go back and use motor oil in a thousand miles or so.

[bus bruce]

I installed the new fuel pump and new filter after the pump. Installed the hot start relay. Also wrapped all gas lines in multiple layers of heat tape. Just took her for a 40 mile ride turned it off for 10 minutes. Tried to start……. And still doesn’t start hot!!! I’m running out of ideas. The motor was a new rebuild and timed by Further Performance in MPLS. So. Any other things I should look for. She runs great otherwise.