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Date:         Sun, 4 Feb 2007 17:41:52 -0500
Reply-To:     Doug <vanagons@COX.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doug <vanagons@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Urgent Starting Problem!/ Suspect Neutral/Park Starter
              Switch/Contact Bridge Problem - status update
Comments: To: robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <C1EBBC28.F2E4%robertmstewart@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Rob, I've responded several times (p-mail) on your problem, but I don't see how you could have received them. Just disconnect the 2 big red wires, plug them together, and wrap electrical tape over the splice! Just be aware of which gear your shift selector is in before you turn the key! BTW, New York needs updating! :-) Doug in Rival CT

robertmstewart wrote: > Status Update: > 4:30pm Sunday > I attempted to do what the person from FLA suggested but it did not work. If > I new more on how the wiring worked I would have tried to bypass the entire > system but my knowledge is weak in these areas. So I am leaving my van in > update NY and will try a shop called Benko Motors, a self proclaimed vw > specialist in Middletown. Hopefully they can make a house call and try to > fix her. > > If anyone ever has a suggestions on a solution let me know. If not I will > try and take care of it myself. > > So now I am taking the bus back to NYC. > ------- > > on 2/4/07 11:44 AM, robertmstewart at robertmstewart@mac.com wrote: > > >> Well, Thanks to someone in Florida named Markus I got a basic answer to the >> situation: >> >> Here was his reply in case anyone is interested: >> >> I'm sure you could easily bypass the whole unit, it will just start in any >> gear and you will not have reverse lights. This could be achieved by some >> jumper wirer made out of a short wire and spade connectors IIRC. it'll get >> you going OR rule out the switch as the fault if there is another problem. >> >> I took mine apart and did some solder work to it to get it back functioning >> correctly: >> >> http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=191526&highlight=reverse+li >> ght >> >> >> This thread gave me push to get off my lazy ass and get my reverse lights >> working again. Mine were intermittent, you you could see that wiggling the >> shifter would make them flicker. I took it apart tonight, the "slider" found >> on the shifter itself was pretty much past its prime, the top section of it >> actually wore a hole in it. Savvy cheapskate that I am, I broke out the >> soldering iron and soldered myself a new surface for it. shaped and filed it >> smooth, cleaned the contact points, sprayed all with a little corrosion X >> and good as new! I'd feel better with a new piece but I have a feeling its >> not gonna be an easy part to locate? This should hold up for awhile though, >> i'm very surprised there were not starting issues it was so chewed up. No I >> gotta replace a burned out bulb on the pass side though >> >> Markus >> mdetro4660@aol.com >> >> >> >> on 2/3/07 8:48 PM, robertmstewart at robertmstewart@mac.com wrote: >> >> >>> Hello to all, >>> >>> Been a while since I posted anything on the site. I have been super busy >>> with a new job in Brooklyn at a company called VICE.(www.viceland.com) >>> >>> Anyway, my van has been great but I recently took it to be be serviced for >>> some upper ball joints and replacement of the neutral/parking switch in my >>> 88 Automatic and now itıs not working. >>> >>> The mechanic purchased the wrong year part for the Neutral/Park Swtich, he >>> said and he put back the old one. At first when I picked up the van it would >>> not start, he had to put it in neutral to start it. I told him that would >>> not suffice till the new part arrived. He fiddled with it, adjusted the unit >>> and got it start in park. I drove upstate on a 2 hour drive and it was fine. >>> I stopped for gas once turning the van off, and starting it again but when I >>> arrived to my destination in Bloomingburg NY and tried to start it in the >>> morning to go snow tubing it would not start. All the dash lights came on >>> but no start. >>> >>> I called the mechanic and he told me the contact from the Automatic shifter >>> just had to be pushed against the Neutral/Park Switch. I tried this several >>> times with no luck. Since I had the shifter hood off, I removed the 4 >>> connectors going into the neutral/park switch and lightly sanded them to >>> clean them up, I also did this on the contact bridge and the inside of the >>> neutral/park switch. I tried to start the van again, but no luck, not in >>> park or neutral. >>> >>> The contact bridge does look a bit warn, looks like its warn on the top and >>> angles outward toward the bottom. It has started reliably for a year now >>> without a problem till this mechanic fiddled with it. Any ideas for a short >>> term fix? Is this something I can get at an AutoZone type place? Can I make >>> something from Tin-Foil or another substance? >>> >>> Can I easily remove this contact switch? If so how? >>> >>> >>> If I canıt figure out a temporary fix to get it back to Brooklyn NY then I >>> will to leave it upstate and take the bus back to NYC. >>> >>> Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! >>> >>> Go the website link below to see the photoıs of the two items. >>> >>> Thanks again to everyone for their ideas in advance. >>> >>> Regards, >>> Robert >>> > >


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