Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:39:50 -0700
Reply-To: Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: No start, no codes ... usual stuff doesn't help.
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It's a 1989 SinghCrow with a subaru OBD1 engine management system. Last
year at Mastercraft Motors, it was noticed that a code for bad starter
voltage was set although the starter worked just fine while
troubleshooting a different OxySensor problem.
Curious, eh? Cleared the code an moved on. Bimeby I installed the
excellent Westyventures starter upgrade. Worked fine, cranked fine, never
failed until a trip to the eastern sierra back country. Then once, it
failed to turn over. Second try, just fine. Later in the trip it happened
again and this time it took three tries to crank it. Drove home from the
fine excursion parking on downhills and having to use momentum starting
twice. Got back, parked the van. Next day, started fine. I turned it off
and tried a restart. Nada, no click, nothing but a dip in the measured
battery voltage. Subsequent attempts ended in miserable failures. Strong
language administered in both fractured Deutche and shattered Kanji, no
result. Feathers, bones, chants...the usual stuff, no go.
Consulted the muses and guruses, learned lots. Tested the ignition switch,
fine. 12V right where it should be. Checked at the starter solenoid
(relay) input ~10 V about what it should be if there was a current draw
elsewhere. Hooked up the remote starter switch. Zoom - Zoom. So what
could it be? Voltages seemed normal around the circuitry. Perhaps a weak
battery? Charged it to 13.5 float still no zumzum. Also NO CODE set.
(for those with Digijet/fant, codes are a step up from the vanagon ECU) .
Out and under (plenty of shade there) and physically trace the red/black
wire up to the front of the beast. No apparent melting, phlogistical traces
or even questionable insulation found. (NTF). So now to trace from the
pull off connector at the ignition lock/switch. First do the jumper bit
just to be sure. Enough current is drawn through the steel jumper that it
warms to the touch.
Visually following the red/black behind the relay panel we come upon a
curious CRIMP connector. Now Hans and Fritz and Dieter dont use yellow
crimp connectors so it must be aftermarket, but why the no start.
11 years ago at the advice of my Ins Co, I had an alarm system installed
that has an ignition disable feature. The details are that the solenoid
drive current passes through a normally closed when not armed, relay
contact, now 11 years and 100K+ miles old. This relay (Potter and
Brumfield) not your average ChiCom substitute was tucked up out of sight
above the relay panel I fetched it out and took a look at it externally no
visible defect. Plugged it back in and ... Zoom Zoom! Hmmm. Second try,
no zumzum. Called up the fine folks at Rocky Mt. Window tint (David
(pieface) is the owner). Explained the symptom and he offered two spare
relays and mentioned that I must have forgotten to replace the relay after
the recommended 50Kmi. Sheepishly I promised to do better in the future,
installed the replacement relay and ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM. Kept the suspect relay
to be examined at leisure.
Here's the failure scenario: The contacts degrade with corrosion over time
and eventually fail intermittantly by not passing sufficent current to
activate the solenoid. If you don't know about the mystery circuit you
don't know where to search for the defect and end up with feathers, bones,
chanting and so on and lack of zumzum.
So if you have one of these recommended by your InsCo ignition disablers
installed, check with the provider to see how it works and what components
were added AND where they're physically located so when the day comes that
your starting is inhibited by old age, decrepitation, entropy and corrosion
you'll have a chance to fix the problem. Oh yeah, update the current
path/schematic diagrams to include the extra circuitry and carry a spare
whatever.
Pensionerd , Got Zum!
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