Date:         Wed, 6 Feb 2002 16:56:38 -0800
Reply-To:     Jim Wheaton <jim@MUSCLEFISH.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Wheaton <jim@MUSCLEFISH.COM>
Subject:      delayed start
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi All-

I've been having this trouble with my 1990 Multivan for a year now.
The symtom is:

Turn key to first position (can hear fuel pump come to life).
Turn key to start position --- nothing happens.  Can hear a slight hum that
was present before trying to start.  Keep key in start position.  Sometimes,
after a delay of up to 45-60 seconds (a long time) the engine will start.
During the silence, there is no cranking or attempted starter action.

Clues:
It is pretty predictable that this will occur on the day *following* a long highway
trip.

Short trips around town do not cause the problem, and once it starts during the
day, it will continue to start all day long.  The day after short trips around town
it is a pretty reliable starter.

It starts just fine regardless of temperature (except on days following long journeys).

When it won't start, I've tried wiggling the starter switch - no change
pound on battery connections - no change.
wiggle wires around starter - no change.

Wait a while (an hour?) and it will sometimes then start.

My mechanic says "bring it on down", but I doubt he can find the trouble when it
is starting, and if I can't start it, I can't "bring it on down"!

Any guesses?

T.I.A.

-Jim

--
Jim Wheaton * e-mail: jim@musclefish.com * http://www.musclefish.com
Muscle Fish / Audible Magic * 2550 Ninth St., 207B * Berkeley, CA 94710
Berkeley: (510) 486-0141 * Home Office:  (707) 823-9301