Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:59:07 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Help! '87 Westy won't start...
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Marc,
I don't believe there is a starter relay , stock that is - someone could
have added one .......those are typically right by the starter.
In my opinion, you should always have a starter trigger wire that you've
added, and hide in the engine compartment somewhere.
It connects to the starter solenoid 'trigger terminal' .......
with that wire in the engine compartment, you can just touch it to the hot
battery cable on the alternator, and it'll operate your starter, like if the
signal from the key is missing.
The electrical part of the ignition switch is a weak spot btw.......that
could be your problem.
and you should always have a Remote Starter Switch with you at all
times......this makes testing starter function in the van nice n' easy. If
you have that trigger wire I suggest adding, you just connect it to that ,
and try operating the starter that way. This bypasses all the rest of the
van....
helping to confirm or eliminate where the actual problem is.
here is a 'rather definitive starter test - for when the starter is dead
silent ........you energize the starter .........try to make it go, either
from the key, or with your Remote Starter Switch, or with your cheater wire
in your engine compartment.
While it's energized and getting the trigger signal *for sure* to the
trigger terminal on the solenoid......
whack the side of the starter with a hammer .
If that whack makes it work one more time ........you've identified a
tired/almost dead starter.
You can get the one for the 2.1 waterboxer engine too..........if you want,
slightly stronger starter I believe, Bosch SR401X.
I wouldn't dream of operating a vanagon , particularly an auto trans one,
without a couple of other ways to fire the starter, besides the key thing.
Sometimes I add a dedicated heavy duty generic starter button two .....
there's a nice spot for one just above the light switch on the left side of
the instrument cluster .....
I think depending on the very underbuilt, and fairly easily warn out stock
ignition switch, is just asking to get stuck somewhere - I wouldn't even
consider it.
Got to have a remote starter switch or a cheater wire in the engine
compartment at least..........especially for dark cold or wet nights, and
especially with an automatic trans since you can push start it very easily.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marc Perdue" <mcperdue@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 7:18 AM
Subject: Help! '87 Westy won't start...
> Hi all,
>
> I'm constantly amazed at how many ways my van can leave me stranded,
> in spite of all I do to try to keep it in top shape.
>
> I got in my van to leave my daughters' house last night, and when I
> turned the key, the fuel pump came on, but there was no click for the
> starter. This has actually happened on occasion before. When it has,
> I usually moved the shifter out of Park and back. If that didn't do
> it, trying another time or two always would.
>
> So, I'm thinking that there's a starter relay somewhere, but when it
> happened, it was 10 PM, my tools were in my other car, and my Bentley
> was on the kitchen counter back home, where I had been researching
> what I need to look at for the rough running problem that I had been
> having. Incidentally, it's running WAY smoother since I had the shop
> adjust the valve last to 0, cold, according to Bob Donalds' specs.
> And it hasn't been stalling.
>
> Asides aside, I pulled the cover off the gear selector (auto tranny,
> in case you hadn't gotten that yet) and cleaned the switch. In case
> anybody out there didn't realize it, the shifter needs to be either in
> Neutral or Park to start, and there's a switch in the gear selector
> enclosure. You can pry off the top cover of the enclosure to get to
> it. Cleaning the contacts didn't change my results. Thinking maybe
> the Park contact only was affected, I tried starting in Neutral to no
> avail.
>
> At this point, not knowing whether there was a starter relay or
> whether I could do anything about it if I found it, I had to seek out
> a ride home.
>
> Am I on the right track? Does this sound like a bad starter relay to
> you all? Oh, and before you all suggest I go start chasing ground
> connection gremlins, the shop that was trying to fix my van checked,
> cleaned, and in some cases put new connectors on, ALL of my ground
> connections that they could find. :^) Um, come to think of it, they
> wouldn't have cleaned the contacts on the gear selector switch . . .
>
> If this does sound like a bad starter relay, does anyone have a part
> number for it? I'd like to get my van back up and running sooner than
> later...
>
> Thanks all,
> Marc
| 
