Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 23:00:30 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: Can I buy just a solenoid?
In-Reply-To: <200401250203.i0P23j2S042089@deimos.aros.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Before you go ripping apart your starter, measure the voltage to the trigger
wire when you try to actuate the starter. Chances are very good that there
is some corrosion in this wire and a huge voltage drop as it does take some
current to make the solenoid go. I have seen cases where people spend mega
dollars (me included) on a nice Bosch reman starter only to have the problem
come back a few weeks later as the problem was never really the starter. My
solution was to install a 30A relay back there to trigger the actuator. Use
the original R/BK wire to trigger the relay and use the main 12V lead to the
alternator to feed the relay. Most relays will trigger with as little at
5V, however you won't see this much of a voltage drop as there is almost no
current needed to trigger a relay. Try the $5 relay before you get the
wallet and tool kit out to fix the problem.
Good luck!
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
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-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Anonymous Digest
Sent: January 24, 2004 5:58 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Can I buy just a solenoid?
I have a friend with starting problems, and it sounds like it might be the
solenoid. Haven't actually climbed under and done any testing yet, as like
for many of us, I am afraid of freezing my butt to the garage floor, but I
would like to know the options for him when the time comes.
I don't see any solenoids on the vendor web pages, just titanic prices on
starters! Yikes :-)
What do we do when the solenoid is bad? Rebuild. Find a junk yard? Buy a
big hammer?
On a related, but somewhat different topic:
I tried searching the archives for past threads on starter problems, but
you know what? There are so many repetitions of the same paragraphs from
not snipping the replies, that the flow of the threads is not there, and
its really quite difficult to find your way through the real info, as you
find yourself reading the same paragraphs/text dozen times.
I know asking for editing the replies is just usually just ignored, or
excused. I makes me crazy because I read the digest mode, but the real
reason we ought to snip the replies lies in the archvies. They are huge,
and a treasure filled with priceless information, but its getting harder
and harder to use it because of the redundant text.
Just my opinion. Hope no one minds me saying it 'out loud'
Thanks for any solenoid advice.
John
