MEXICO VW BUS Engine - Starter

[dodger tom]

you might check out this thread about hot-start-up issues, if you haven’t already.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=581254
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1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled.

[lil-jinx]

the shaft on those starters are not support,there will be some play in it,that the reason for the bushing,its supports the shaft.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620186
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668799
1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy sold dec 2024

1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

[mikedjames]

The 1600 starters that were used in Europe up to 1979 dont have a bearing at the pinion end so they wobble normally.

I would go for measuring the shaft of your starter- length and offset to the pinion- it is probably the same as a pre 1972 bus in the USA.

Before condemning the starter I would make sure your wiring is perfect- you are describing what could be classical hot start issues. Which are mostly electrical, though points wearing, closing up and over advancing the ignition can also cause it to crank slower .
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Ancient vehicles and vessels

1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.

1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy

[Wildthings]

Sounds like you need to clean all the connections between the battery and the starter, including the cables on the ground side which includes the transmission ground strap. Connections need to be coated with dielectric grease to lessen further corrosion. Your cables themselves may be nearly 50 years old at this point and you would likely be better off to just replace them with new cable that are a few gauges larger. I think my positive cable is a #1 AWG, and I have another #1 AWG cable on the ground side directly between the battery negative and the engine, thus eliminating the transmission ground strap and the problems a bad ground strap can cause.

[ILMEX77BUS]

[Wildthings]

[NASkeet]

Also keep in mind that VW 1600 Type 1 style air-cooled engines were the default option for British & European specification, 1972~79 VW Type 2s, so parts retailers such as VW Heritage or Just Kampers in Great Britain, might have what you need; especially as they also cater for the 1997 onward, Brazilian manufactured vehicles.
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Regards.

Nigel A. Skeet

Independent tutor (semi-retired) of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.

Much modified, RHD 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental campervan, with the World's only decent, cross-over-arm, SWF pantograph rear-window wiper

Onetime member, plus former Technical Editor & Editor of Transporter Talk magazine
Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club (Great Britain)

https://vwt2oc.co.uk

[Kudagra]

Ya'all are making this way more difficult than it needs to be.

Using ETKA online for free it shows a few actual part numbers.

BAA911023B is the 1st one.

I hate Rock Auto parts but you can search just Mexico vehicles.

The first start it shows for a 1977 Mexican Combi that crosses to that ETKA number above looks exactly like the once in the OPs 1st picture.

"OEM / Interchange Numbers: 102102, 111911023, 111911023A, 111911023B, 111911023BT, 111911023C, 111911023D, 113911023E, 16450, 211911023, 211911023B, 3059110233, 311911023B, 311911023C, 311911023D, 311911023DX, 331911023C, 432543, 66925157, BAA911023B, D8E158"
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Everything burns if you get it hot enough.

[Wildthings]

[NASkeet]

Having experienced several episodes of "dead stater-motor syndrome" with our 1973 VW 1600 Type 2 during the late-1970s & 1980s, my father and I upgraded the vehicle in circa 1988/89 with a manually-cranked starting-handle facility, which worked really well! Some military specification 1968~79 VW Type 2s were factory-fitted with this facility.

To avoid hot-air and/or exhaust fumes recirculating back into the engine-compartment, I made a cylindrical tunnel through the vertical & sloping surfaces of the rear cover-plate.

Just in case you're wondering about the sticker on the left-hand side, it's of Fulmer Yarsley (formerly known as Yarsley Technical Centre) where I worked full-time from February 1988 to December 1989; sometimes using some of the workshop facilities during lunch-breaks or after hours, for the 1973 VW Type 2 modifications & upgrades.

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Regards.

Nigel A. Skeet

Independent tutor (semi-retired) of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.

Much modified, RHD 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental campervan, with the World's only decent, cross-over-arm, SWF pantograph rear-window wiper

Onetime member, plus former Technical Editor & Editor of Transporter Talk magazine
Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club (Great Britain)

https://vwt2oc.co.uk

[Kudagra]

[ILMEX77BUS]

Well, just an update. After a visit to an old school rebuild shop, the took the original starter apart and found the brushes were pretty much done for. They said they were still good enough to get it to crank the first time but as soon as it got a little hot that was probably the problem.

They rebuilt it for $165, which is cheaper than I could get a new one, and it’s original, known to bolt in and fit.

Took them about two days to rebuild it, half hour to put it in and it fires right up. After running it around town for a good half hour, we shut it off and then it fired right back up again. So it definitely looks like the starter was the culprit!

Thanks all for the input and ideas.
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1977 Mexico Bay Window