Date:         Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:46:07 -0400
Reply-To:     craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Automatic Starter Issues
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My '90 Automatic left me stranded today. Luckily it's in a safe place.
Here's the story....

Last week I ran into an issue with the bus not cranking or even clicking
when the key was in. It turned out to be the solenoid wire had fallen off.
Reconnected it, and it ran great.

Today I drove down  a rough road to a friend's farm. That's where the bus
now sits. When i realized it wouldn't start again I climbed under and sure
enough, the wire was off. I tightened up the connector a bit with a pair of
pliars and in putting it onto the spade, bent the spade. Youch.
Anyway, now the spade wiggles. I think there may be an internal break as I
still get no cranking at all.

I checked and there is 11.8 volts coming through that wire when the starter
is meant to be engaged. So clearly eveything up stream of the starter is
working.
This was a used starter and It may be time for a replacement. Does anyone
have one they're tripping over? : )

Curiously....
There is a second wire on the opposite side of the solenoid. It is
white/Red and thin guage, coming out of the same loom as the Big Red wire
going to the solenoid. What does this wire do?
Are these two spades interconnected and interchangeable for putting the
thick red wire on?

Thanks!

-Craig
'87 Sunroof Syncro
'85 Residence
'90 GL Automatic