Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 13:43:38 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: So thar I was (Engine wouldn't start)
In-Reply-To: <200712052131.lB5LVn3K025666@ss72.shared.server-system.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Ah yes, the Bend coffee guy.
I love it over there, I hope I remember to stop in sometime.
Loved your 'shooting them' troubleshooting comment !
Yeah, here's how you use a gun to troubleshoot when something doesn't work
in a car.
You shoot the suspected component with the gun, just destroy it.
And if the system that's not working still doesn't work, that component
probably wasn't the culprit.
-----Original Message-----
From: Brendan Slevin [mailto:brendan@bellatazza.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 1:33 PM
To: 'Scott Daniel - Shazam'
Subject: RE: So thar I was (Engine wouldn't start)
My 1961 Morris Minor had a place in the engine compartment where the start
knob (what you pulled on to engage the starter after turning on the key)
cable attached. You could push the end of the cable from there and engage
the starter. Useful for troubleshooting Lucas electrics without shooting
them. :)
Brendan Slevin
Roastmaster
BELLATAZZA
tel 541 593.9750
www.bellatazza.com
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons. -T.S. Eliot
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Scott Daniel - Shazam
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 12:49 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: So thar I was (Engine wouldn't start)
I'm not aware that any early Honda's had such a button in the engine
compartment, but perhaps a few did.
There is one car with that stock though, a Citroen D series. You just push
on the bottom of a solenoid device that's in the battery cable, not on the
starter, and the starter energizes - stock , from the factory.
The whole starter circuit on 20 year old vw is so prone to weakness, I even
cringe almost at asking the poor little ignition switch to ask it to do that
job one more time after thousands of times of doing it. So there's that,
having a back up for the ignition switch.
But the REAL value is when the starter doesn't work.
You whip out your remote starter switch, connect to the trigger wire in the
engine compartment and try the starter that way.
If two seconds you know if it's the starter itself, or the wiring and stock
ignition switch in the van.
AND...I realized after that guy's no start situation in the rain
.......many people are not actually interested in being self-rescuing and
fully independent.
They'd rather have an incident and need to interact with others they
find to come to their rescue and help them.
So based on that, 'do not' understand all the ( they're simple too, most of
the circuits ) circuits in your vanagon, or carry spare stuff like tools,
test devices, and known good parts. Having those will definitely cut into
your fun of having a 'vw incident out in the hinterlands' and interacting
with all the wonderful people you find to help you !!
Ain't vw's fun ! Scott
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
neil N
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 9:33 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: So thar I was (Engine wouldn't start)
Cool. Didn't see Mikes post. Personally I've never carried a remote starter
switch, but you never know......
I like the idea of a switch in the engine compartment. IIRC, the pre 75'
Honda Civics had them. They "killed" that option quick. At least for the
North America market. Too many foolish people leaving the car in gear?
Wouldn't be a tough install. A couple wires, a mounting bracket maybe and a
"temporary on" push button type switch.
Neil.
On Dec 5, 2007 8:54 AM, Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> On 12/4/2007 3:21 PM neil N wrote:
>
> > I'm pretty sure a remote starter is standard fare at your FLAPS.
> >
> > I've never actually used one, but it may be that the starter clips onto
> > the starter motor. Of course given your electrical background, you would
> > likely have a better suggestion for that! (of course one could always
> > RTM --- ;^)
>
> Yer right -- I have the manual. I can read wiring diagrams. But wiring
> diagrams don't describe where wires are physically routed. My guess is
> that there is are no wiring points in the engine compartment that can be
> used to start the starter, and climbing under the van in an inch of water
> in 35 degree (F) weather is not my idea of a good time, so I reckon that
> Mike Collum has the right idea: permanently mount a switch in the engine
> compartment.
>
> Or at least bring some wire leads up there and put a mating plug on the
> switch.
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
> KG6RCR
>
--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia -
"Jaco" (Bustorius) http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
Engine swap beginings: http://musomuso.googlepages.com/home
