Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:57:00 -0400
Reply-To: TJ Hemrick <x53gunner@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: TJ Hemrick <x53gunner@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Remote starter switch mayhem (Funny -now)
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In the sake of safety, I'll let this one out of the bag.
After unsuccessfully working a starter problem (switch, wiring, stater,
etc...) I needed the van to work and work 100% as I had to move out of
housing that was going to be demolished (for the curious-- it was old
military housing that was sold and privatized). In the interest of making
it work, I ran two battery cables to a Hella battery disconnect switch and
jammed it (the switch) up into the rear wheel well. It worked well for the
couple of times I used it. Late one evening, the neighbors had parked their
U-Haul (26 footer) in our shared driveway and the back end of my Vanagon was
a mere 20 feet from the side of the U-Haul. Now I have an automatic in the
GL and never thought much about it. The van didn't start up, I got out,
fired the remote switch up. The van burped a few times and then, slowly it
lurched backwards and started rolling backwards, instinctively, I ran BEHIND
the van and BETWEEN the parked U-Haul and my moving vanagon and frantically
struggled to JAM my foot on the brakes as fast as possible. I was only
inches from the U-Haul when I got the beast stopped. The only thing rolling
was my neighbor after watching the modern day version of Laurel and Hardy or
the Keystone cops. I'm laughing now but thinking about and seeing that
thing on a path for destruction was not good. The neutral safety switch
works perfectly with the KEY but when I hit the starter with the remote
switch, all bets were off. Not sure why or how or if it was just a fluke
but I'll echo Scott's words, Be D@mn careful if you rig one up. I worked
as both a Porsche and a VW tech (that's either a good or bad thing in this
case) so it's not like I didn't know better.
TJ
BTW, if anyone wants to trade stuff, I need a syncro fuel tank. I have
alloys, instrument cluster (4 speed w/tach), bra and some ECU, AFM, heads
(cracks between valve seats) and some other stuff. I have some older
Porsche Fuchs alloys but I'm also needing a GOOD, CLEAN, running 2.1 WBX so
if you're doing a swap or know someone who want's some great rims, give me a
shout.
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:55:00 -0700
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Remote Starter Switch Wire-up for '88GL
re
"Because once the motor
starts turning on it's own,
you're a long ways away from turning it off "
true if ignition is on.
often when using a remote starter switch the ignition is kept off..
like you're testing compression, testing the starter itself etc.
but yes..
darn right need to be super careful at all times.
I use a push-on connector right to the 'trigger terminal' at the starter
solenoid.
Some have two terminals there...so just plug onto one.
if there's on one trigger terminal, get a 'double up' push-in spade
connector ( not as easy to find as they were back in the old air-cooled
days ) .
then I just run it to near the alternator.
it's not 'that advisable' to touch the end of the wire to the alternator
positive post ..but you can in an emergency. Normally you'd connect your
remote starter switch between that hot post and your cheater wire. I just
cap mine off with a twist type wire connector ..like you'd use in house
wiring .
tuck it out of sight ..
and make sure it can't touch anything electrically ..
and you're good to go.
you could go to the trigger terminal of the starter booster relay that you
have installed..
but that defeats part of the idea of this cheater wire..
the idea, for starter troubleshooting is, that the entire rest of the van
and all starter circuitry are out of the picture when you are triggering the
solenoid directly yourself with the cheater wire and a remote starter
switch.
One groggy day long ago...........early 70's ...
I had to get under VW bug to get it to fire up.
somehow it came down off the jack in gear and took off on it's own ..
didn't get far fortunately. That was fun. So yes...always be super careful
working on cars ..
there are LOTS of ways to hurt yourself or others working on cars. !
for example..
I have a rule to never do a tweak or an adjustment on an engine while it is
running ..
unless it's really necessary , like to adjust idle. So even if it's just
add a wire tie say ..
something you'd think takes a second and can't possibly be dangerous ..I
only do that on , no matter how minor, on an engine that is not running.
Safety rules and procedures work better when observed black-or-white. You
don't drive 50 feet without a seat belt on. You never have loose clothing
or jewelry on working on a car. You never touch a running engine unless it
needs to be running for the procedure, etc.
what fun. Do good safe solid-workmanship vanagon work !
Scott
www.turbovans.com
