Date:         Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:04:21 -0800
Reply-To:     Brian Jarvinen <brianvwagain@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Brian Jarvinen <brianvwagain@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      how does the ignition switch work?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I am out on the road trying to get home for
Christmas...after plenty of Vanagon mis-adventures
this year I have a new one today:

I turn the key and get maybe a click from
the starter. The next 50 times you turn the
key, nada. My #1 suspicion runs toward the
ignition switch. The starter has only been
in for three months, a re-built Bosch. It
hasn't shown the slightest sign of starting
to fail, and I've lived through several of
them over the years. Nevertheless, tapping
it with a hammer changes nothing; usually
you can get a couple starts out of that.

I've had a bad switch before, and used an
extra plastic switch and a screwdriver to
start the van for months at a time. I had
a mechanic install a whole new switch about
two years ago; I tried to drill out the right
spot to remove the key assembly but had the
wrong mm measurement and missed the
pin. He drilled it in the right place and
installed one but I've never been that
thrilled with it, somewhat ragged and
tight in the operation of turning the key.
The whole thing just seems imprecise
and cheap, don't know where he got it.

I have the other plastic switch but turning
it with a screwdriver is no longer an option,
too much of the plastic has been destroyed.

So my question tonight is - just how does
this switch work? It has seven total connections.

I noticed an oddity today - holding the brake
pedal down all the way makes the Parking Brake
light come on. Have never seen that before.
Now too the Parking Brake light comes on
when the key is turned to "START" and I
can't recall that in the past but maybe just
never noticed?


With my old switch, I can make things turn "ON"
i.e. the fuel pressurizes and the indicators in
the dash panel come on. But after that I can't
turn it further to engage the starter.

I'm thinking the problem in my switch might
be the key not making enough electrical contact
as it turns to engage the starter. I think the
tip of the key contacts a metal part? So the
switch can turn things on but could fail after
that?

I'm in Youngstown, OH and hope I can find
one of these plastic switches in the morning.
Don't know if they tend to be in automotive
supply chains? Or can only be had from junkyards?

I drive a standard trans and have been able to
do a push start quickly and easily every time;
everything else is working perfectly. The other
possibility is the starter is already shot, nearly
instantaneously with no warning?

Wires to the starter? With temps in the 30s
I wouldn't think a hot wire would be a problem;
and again have had no recent hard starting.


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