A trip to the local German auto mechanic and then another to the auto parts store, fixed the problem with nary a tool.
Seems the 30 wt. oil I was using was too "thick" when it got too cold for the starter to turn the flywheel over. An oil replacement to 10W30 did the trick and she started every time after that.
“When I was in the Air Force, stationed in the high desert of New Mexico, my VW camper bus wouldn’t start at all when it was cold outside. … the 30 wt. oil I was using was too “thick” when it got too cold for the starter to turn the flywheel over. An oil replacement to 10W30 did the trick …” [HotHunt, post 82]
Which AFB was that? HotHunt may have told us already; if memory has failed me, I apologize.
No quotes required around “thick” - it can often be the case.
I found myself in western South Dakota courtesy of the Air Force. Ambient temperatures swing quite a bit: from lows of minus 40 Fahrenheit to highs above 110 F. A never-ending headache for maintainers of aircraft and ground vehicles.
I traded my SAAB for a VW and found the latter far more reliable (we’re on our third VW now, 40 years later, returned at length to western SD). Still had to watch out for severe high and low temperatures. Engine oil has thickened sufficiently to prevent startup: one must observe seasonal recommendations on viscosity carefully, and block heaters are a must.
Doesn’t always to the trick. When the battery began to go out on our latest VW (a small diesel), cranking speed declined to the point where the motor refused to fire. Couldn’t detect the difference by ear; more common in diesel systems, we discovered.