Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2013 08:03:10 -0400
Reply-To: David Milo <dellaone@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Milo <dellaone@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Starting problem or startER problem
In-Reply-To: <2c771f$c45v97@out01.dlls.pa.frontiernet.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
For me, it turned out that I did indeed have a bummer starter from a local
FLAPS that was a year and half old, and it drove me crazy. The first 6
months of operation, it was fine, but began to refuse to crank on an
increasingly frequent basis. After much electrical troubleshooting with no
significant findings, I ran a wire siamesed into the starter solenoid
trigger connection and back to the hot wire at the alternator, with an
insulated wire nut on the end. When It wouldn't crank, I simply touched the
spare wire to the alternator hot post, and it would crank every time (same
idea as T.J. using a screwdriver to bridge the solenoid. The starter
eventually began to not respond to this work around; thats when I knew the
starter solenoid was the culprit. A new starter was obtained from an online
vendor, and voila, it would start almost every time in park, but it would
always start if it was in neutral. A new spring loaded starter safety
switch contact (the one in the selector lever, which is now available again
from an online vendor) fixed the problem for good.
Good hunting,
Dave
On Sat, Apr 6, 2013 at 9:33 PM, Jonce Fancher <streetbugs@frontier.com>wrote:
> Hi TJ
> sorry if I repeat things you may have already done, But In my years
> of dinking around with air cooled VWs and the Water vans, I have
> found a few things that Might help. Clean the area where the Starter
> meets the bell housing for grounding the starter, Also the slip on
> connector to the Spade on the solenoid mush grab on real tight. Make
> sure the cables to the starter are shiny as a rain deers nose. I have
> also run a ground cable to the starter Bolt just to increase the
> grounding. As well as the battery terminals on the battery clean the
> connections for the cable and ends as well as battery and the battery
> ground in the box.
> I also did have an issue once or actually a few times, the connector
> to the actual switch, But this was on early splits. We did run a new
> wire since the resistance in the wire was a bit to much. Not sure if
> any of this will help.
>
> Good luck.
> Jonce
>
>
> All,
>> Instead of boring you with a long drawn out story (which, I will no
>> doubt
>> confuse most of you), I'll list the facts:
>>
>> 87 GL Automatic
>>
>> 1. I have a good battery. Two actually. Hooked to a charger while
>> trying
>> to turn over the engine. Details; One brand new Optima and one used
>> Optima
>> both read 12v on a meter and hooked in parallel. On top of that, a
>> battery
>> charger set to 10A setting (EXCEPT while checking leads for voltage on any
>> circuit) is running from before I start till after I finish.
>>
>> 2. New ignition switch. Details; jumped #30 and # 50 at the switch and
>> got nothing. OK, I got a hot paperclip but aside from that, nothing but
>> the *slight* electrical click from the back of the van. Same exact sound
>> I
>> get with the ignition switch.
>>
>> 3. Neutral safety switch checked good as the times it was actually
>> turning
>> over with the key, the moment I moved the gear selector out of P or N, it
>> stopped cranking and it NEVER cranks unless it's in P or N. Ran it
>> through
>> the entire range repeatedly with no change to either of those facts.
>>
>> 4. All engine grounds were done and today I shined the transmission
>> ground
>> brighter than Rudolph's nose on Christmas eve. It should last me another
>> 26 years. How do I know? Well, it made NO change after I cleaned it with
>> a wire brush in a drill so even with the same number of years of corrosion
>> since it rolled off the line, the boys in the factory did it right the
>> first time so it obviously was not an issue without my cleaning. Didn't
>> hurt but didn't help either.
>>
>> 5. I got 12V at the solenoid end of #50 when my helper turned the key to
>> the start position. No change while I wiggled the daylights out of the
>> wires. Well, until I got some dirt or stuff in my face from shaking
>> things
>> so long and hard. No, don't even think about going there or the Mods will
>> eat you for lunch. :)
>>
>> 6. Starter *will* rotate and engine does start when I jump small terminal
>> and large terminal on the solenoid with a screwdriver or similar. Every
>> time and all the time.
>>
>> 7. *Very* seldom, it will rotate and start with the key. In fact today,
>> ONLY after I bumped it with a screwdriver and I wanted to test something,
>> it started several times in a row but then after several times, just
>> clicks
>> and that dumb look on my face.
>>
>> 8. One time tonight, after jumping the ignition switch with the paperclip
>> (and getting nothing), I put the connection back on the switch and when I
>> turned the key, it started a few more times (3) and then, again, no more.
>>
>> 9 Bosch rebuilt starter from FLAPS. SAME issue before or after the old
>> starter came out and this one came in. Starter is about 1.5 years old.
>>
>> It can't be a hot start issue since it never gets a chance to get hot and
>> not start. I have one last thought about what it could be but I don't
>> want
>> to put thoughts in anyone's head.
>>
>> Anyone got any ideas as to what it might be, what I might have missed or
>> what I could check now?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> TJ
>>
>
| 
