Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Mon, 17 Feb 2014 07:31:47 -0500
Reply-To:     Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Starting system quirk - diagnosis help needed
Comments: To: David <okdavid5555@cox.net>
In-Reply-To:  <009001cf2b22$a78753a0$f695fae0$@net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

It takes significant current to activate the starter solenoid, especially as it ages. This is rough on the contacts in the ignition switch. Replacing the switch and cleaning or replacing the starter and/or solenoid may solve the problem. Regardless, the system is under-engineered and failure prone. Many more modern vehicles (including Eurovans from VW) use a relay between the switch and the solenoid. Some of our on-line vendors sell a "hard start relay" kit to address this problem on Vanagons.

Larry A.

On Sun, Feb 16, 2014 at 9:23 AM, David <okdavid5555@cox.net> wrote:

> Thank you, list members, for all the advice about my quirky starter. Looks > like replacing the ignition switch is my first priority, and then maybe > repair or replace the starter. I appreciate all the suggestions and help > very much! > > David S. > Oklahoma City > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of > David > Sent: Saturday, February 15, 2014 3:20 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Starting system quirk - diagnosis help needed > > Hello Vanagon listers. I've been a list member for quite a while, but have > contributed infrequently, only when I think I might be able to actually add > something worthwhile to a discussion. I've never asked a question about my > own Vanagon, but now I'd appreciate some help. > > > > I've got a stock '91 Carat, automatic trans, with 145K miles (60K put on by > me). I've experienced this issue a number of times over the past six months > or so, and it was never a problem until about a month ago when I thought it > was going to strand me. > > > > Here's the symptom: When turning the ignition key to the "start" position, > every once in a while, there is a very brief period of nothing happening, > ranging from a split-second to maybe a half-second. Continuing to hold the > key in the start position, the starter kicks in and the engine starts as > normal. > > > > I emphasize that this happens infrequently, and when it does, the period of > time before the starter kicks in is usually almost imperceptible, but it's > enough of a delay that you're aware of it happening. There does not appear > to be a correlation between outside air temp or whether the engine is warm > or cold. > > > > About a month ago, when I was 100 miles from home, I turned the key to the > start position and nothing happened. Nothing. The usual dash warning lights > lit up when the switch passed through the "run" position, and when in the > start position, nothing happened. There was no dimming of the warning > lights; no sound (like a click, for instance) at all. No indication that a > load was being placed on the electrical system. The no-sound and > no-light-dimming seemed very odd to me. I repeated the > turn-off-try-to-start-again sequence several times, which yielded no > change. > Then I got the idea that maybe the neutral safety switch was the problem, > so > I moved the gear selector from "P" to "N" and tried again - several times - > with the same result. I even rapidly moved the gear selector back and forth > from "P" to "1" several times, thinking I would "clear" or shake loose (?) > the contact mechanism. This resulted in no change when trying to start in > either "P" and "N." > > > > Frustrated, I got out of the van and walked around it in dismay. I even > looked on the ground under the engine - as if I'd find some part had > dropped > on the ground or was hanging loose (isn't looking at and underneath the > engine what we're "supposed to do" when something's wrong? J ) > > > > After about 10 minutes of being thoroughly upset and confused, I crawled > back in the driver's seat figuring I was going to have to call a wrecker. I > decided to give it one last try before grabbing the cell phone, and to my > amazement, it started right up, without any perceived delay. > > > > It has started perfectly since then, however, the infrequent, very brief > delay episodes have continued. > > > > I would appreciate any advice on diagnosing where the problem may lay. > Thank you. > > > > David S. > > Oklahoma City >


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