Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 20:32:24 -0500
Reply-To: jhlauterbach <jhlauterbach@MSN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: jhlauterbach <jhlauterbach@MSN.COM>
Subject: Re: Starting Problem
I had the same problem with my '84 for the first year or so after I bought
it 5/97. Problem was dirt on the connector between the FI cable and ECU.
John Lauterbach
Macon, GA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Eggert" <deggert@NEW.RR.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 5:20 PM
Subject: Starting Problem
Hello Volks,
Thought I would pass this one by everyone to see if anyone had any
suggestions as to where I should start looking for a problem.
Both yesterday and today my van would not want to start after I drove it and
parked. Yesterday, I went Christmas shopping for about a half hour and when
I came out it would not start. It went through all the motions but would
not catch. The only thing that seemed wrong was that it acted like the
battery was not fully charged and would hesitate a bit, but then turn over
just like normal. During the whole ordeal, I think I flooded it out so I
left it sit while I got a bite to eat. 45minutes later I jumped in and it
started up with no problem. Today, I ran to the bank and was only in for
maybe five minutes and when I came back out, same thing, would not start.
Same symptoms as yesterday, except this time it almost sounded and felt like
the starter was binding a bit. I thought that maybe the battery was low
from the previous day even after running it on the highway for 20 miles
after I got it started. I ran home and grabbed my skateboard and went back
to the van and once again it started up with no problem. I got it home and
pulled the battery out and put it on the charger. According to the meter,
it is about 85% charged.
I put new plugs in just over 4,000 miles ago. The coil, points, condenser,
distributor, and rotor are all under 2,000miles old.
I thought that maybe with the outside temp dropping that it may have
something to do with it, but it is in the 40's right now and has been colder
on other nights with no problem starting. Any Suggestions? I'm going to be
putting her away as soon as the salt hits the road and I would like to take
care of any problems before I do put her to rest for the winter.
Thanks everyone for your help.
Eggz
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