Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:58:53 -0800
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: starter turns except when the battery is disconnected but
does not turn engine-solenoid problem?
In-Reply-To: <CA+r=JhqNkpHY8WW6iej-AkD=Zs6qz10-b+sS8NX22uvSRLC7LA@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Ditto on that,
for porblems like a starter won't disengage ..
or spins without engaging ..
or slow cranking ...
you think about the starter itself.
the first logical step would be to remove the starter and see if you see
or learn anything doing that. Unless you just put in a known-good
starter two days ago say .. .otherwise.....take that sucker out.
fwiw ..I have never believed in replacing starter solenoids only. In
about 35 to 40 yrs of fixing VW's laregly full time...
I treat the starter as a unit ..
make up of 3 areas, the solenoid, the motor part, and the bendix drive gear.
once in a while I'll do a new drive gear ...like if the starter kicks
out before you want it to ..that is almost always a faulty drive gear,
and as a new part those arein the 24 to 39 dollar range. Best way to get
the right one is take the starter to an electrical rebuilder shop and
they order the right part based on the Bosch # on the starter.
I don't think solenoids really go bad very often myself, like almost never.
Never asuume on a 25 + year old VW or Vanagon that enough voltage is
getting where it should. I've seen many cases of underperforming battery
cables, ground connections, etc.
It's a mistake ..a very common mistake, to 'think of what part it might'
be ..
then goshopping for the part.
Take the thing apart first.
when getting a part to fix a problem in advance...like guessing/hoping
it's 'that part' ..
chances are about 80 % that one or more of the following will happen -
you find out it's not that and you didn't need the part you just got.
you find out it's that and a bunch more and you really don't need the
part you just got.
You find out they sent you the wrong part ..
and other self-inflicted gotchas like that. ( I like that
..'self-inflicted gotchas' !try to avoid those, lol )
Take the sucker out and inspect !
Docheckthe starter bushing inthe bell housing for sure.
'Don't think 'parts' ................as in 'what part could it be'
..think 'Inspection, testing, and diagnosis' .
Quite often it's not 'a part' anyway !
www.turbovans.com
On 12/10/2012 1:08 PM, Larry Alofs wrote:
> The ignition switch almost certainly has nothing to do with your problem.
> It sounds like mostly a mechanical problem with the solenoid and/or the
> movement of the starter drive gear on the shaft.
>
> Larry A.
>
>
> On Mon, Dec 10, 2012 at 3:48 PM, David Clarkson <dvdclarksn@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> Don't know if anyone is still following this thread but my problem
>> began as an intermittant slow turning of the starter and then I had one
>> instance where the starter would not disengage after starting until I
>> revved the engine a bit. The current situation is that when I tried to
>> start the engine the starter motor would not stop turning until I
>> disconnected the battery but it never turned over the engine. I ordered
>> another ignition switch since it
>> was only about $6 and mine had almost 300K on it (geez according to Ben's
>> site looks like I'll need to find a steering wheel puller to replace this
>> part). In the mean time I
>> disconnected the switch completely and then reconnected the
>> battery-same problem. I am now thinking that something both mechanical
>> and or electrical is going on with the solenoid. Any opinions or
>> similar problems out there? Maybe a problem with the starter
>> bushings? Oh and this is a 1990 Vanagon with a manual tranny. I am
>> looking for a solenoid online but have had limited success. Any
>> suggestions should this be the problem on where I might find a good
>> solenoid? I might go with the new/rebuilt starter/solenoid I saw on the
>> samba. The seller says he doesn't know if it is for a manual or auto
>> but it looks different than the automatic starters listed in the same
>> section. I hate to be that guy that just starts throwing parts at a
>> problem but at this point I can't imagine anything else that could have
>> failed.
>> It would be just as easy to swap out the entire starter/solenoid assembly
>> as just changing the solenoid and I would have a spare starter on hand that
>> I could have rebuilt with new bushings. While I'm in that neighborhood I'll
>> clean and check all the wiring. I can't imagine anything simply wiring
>> related after looking at the Bentley that could be causing this symptom but
>> it would be good preventative maintenance as well as a good time to check
>> for adequete voltage at the starter. Any opinions from the been there done
>> that members of the list would be an early Christmas/Hanukkah/
>> Kwanza/Festivus gift from you to me. Thanks everyone.
>>
>> David Clarkson
>> 90 Westy-can't seem to get the planets to align to get started
>>
