Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:41:53 -0800
Reply-To: Joe Fernandez <jfride@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joe Fernandez <jfride@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Starter system woes
In-Reply-To: <989ea5a20801161456m59bcd3afh43d6d964ed39dc46@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
This sounds like something my van used to do- turn key, couple second delay,
then starter engages. Over time, the delay increased until on occasion the
starter wouldn't engage, and I'd have to push start.
This article discusses troubleshooting the problem:
http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=924
After reading it, I cleaned & tightened battery contacts, grounds, and
noticed a corroded thick wire from the positive post of the battery, with
burnt looking insulation. After cleaning & sealing this, the van starts
instantly- no more delay. Presumably the problem was too much resistance in
the wire due to the corrosion.
Solved my problem so far...
Joe
Santa Cruz
On Jan 16, 2008 2:56 PM, TJ Hemrick <x53gunner@gmail.com> wrote:
> All,
> I've been hunting a mysterious starter problem and I need your help.
> It's
> crunch time and I can't tolerate this problem anymore. It's an 87 Wolfie
> GL
> Automatic. The starter slowly stopped engaging after key rotation.
> Slowly
> as in more frequently over a 2-3 month period until it finally quit
> engaging. So, being the vw geek I am, I dove underneath with metal in
> hand
> to jump the contacts. I ordered a replacement switch, put it in, it just
> barely hesitated but started like normal otherwise. I figured it had been
> so long since it did that correctly, I must not have noticed the delay.
> Wrong answer-there is no discernable delay. It just quit working 2-3 days
> later. It starts just fine each and every time I jump the terminals on
> the
> solenoid. Every once in a while it will rotate and start but only after a
> 3-6 second delay. After a previous post to the group, I checked a few
> items
> but no luck. I've wiggled the gear selector (and even ran it though the
> entire range) while holding the key in the start position. I've jiggled
> the
> key. No change from either of those. Is there a way to bypass the
> neutral
> safety switch for testing. I'm not near my tools currently (long story)
> or
> I'd have the console around the selector in pieces already. Can ANYONE
> think of ANYTHING else that might be doing this? I'm pretty sure that if
> the start rotates when I jump it, it's 99% good. New starter switch bad?
> Possible, but not likely. Especially since it has the exact same
> symptons with the old switch. Someone put me out of my misery.
>
> Thanks,
>
> TJ
>
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