Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2000, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Mon, 24 Jan 2000 16:56:06 -0700
Reply-To:     Gary Shea <shea@GTSDESIGN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Gary Shea <shea@GTSDESIGN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon DEAD- Starter relay- Manually Jump??? Help!
Comments: To: KENWILFY@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <46.c11e73.25be23d8@aol.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

I don't see the original message here but the Subject line is pretty clear! Ken's advice is excellent, but I start to differ when he gets to the point of buying a new starter. My experience with starter solenoids is that they don't go bad so much as they just get gummed up and stop moving freely, and when you whack 'em with a hammer or bar, lo they suddenly seem willing to move again. For a little while.

This is a recurring problem on Vanagons, mine has done it twice in the last 10 years, and you'll find many discussions of it in the archives..

If you have time, pop off the starter, pull the solenoid off the starter, put some grease on the solenoid shaft, push it in and out by hand a few times to lube it up, apply power to the solenoid and see if it suddenly seems to be just fine. Even if this doesn't work, you've only lost 20 minutes and you can go get that new starter + solenoid. Or you can buy just a solenoid from the Bus Depot (or wherever), something like $25. But I bet it works and you're back on the road... for free.

I did a lengthy writeup on solenoid R&R probably about a year ago -- it should be in the archives.

I heard mine catch a little bit a few days ago, I could soon be at it again myself ;)

Gary

On Mon, 24 Jan 2000 KENWILFY@AOL.COM wrote: > I would check your battery voltage first. A totally dead battery or one with > a bad cell won't work even with a jump start. > > The second thing to try if the battery is good, is to try the ignition while > someone checks to see if there is voltage back at the solenoid with a > multimeter. This tells you if you have a starter problem or a ignition > switch problem. If you have juice to the solenoid wire then your solenoid is > bad. You could try jumping the solenoid terminal to the starter power > terminal with a screw driver too if you don't have a meter. If the starter > cranks over then the switch is bad. > > The third thing to try is to have someone hold the ignition on and to tap the > solenoid on the starter with a hammer (or a metal bar). We have done this > with sticky starters before and it will work. If this works then the > solenoid is bad and you should just get a rebuilt starter. > > Here is a list of parts available from Van-Again if you need them: > Rebuilt Starter $135 with a $60 core charge (Bosch) > Ignition Switch- $8 > > Hope this helps, > Ken Wilford > http://www.vanagain.com > John 3:16 > Phone: (856)-765-1583 > Shop: (856)-327-0027 > Fax: (856)-327-2242 >

----------------------------------------------------------------- Gary Shea shea@xmission.com Salt Lake City http://www.xmission.com/~shea


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.