Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 10:20:44 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Won't Start in St. Helena, Napa County
In-Reply-To: <547A4131.7000101@sbw.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Are you looking for help or a shop? What is your level of diagnostic
capabilities? The intermittent stall while cranking can indicate number of
failures including so much fuel the engine is hydraulically locking up.
Every time you turn the ignition on and hear the pump start you are also
getting a shot of fuel into the engine.
All no start troubleshooting should start with the basics. Engine turning
and having compression! You have that. Spark! You may have that but that
stalling symptom if spark related can indicate a bad coil or ECU. I have
seen a bad coil cause all sorts of intermittent and even running timing
issues. For quick check you can check the coil with an ohm meter. You want
to see about 4.5k ohm from the center (high tension) post to the low side.
Any breakdown may show as a reduced resistance. 3.5k ohm is no good.
Pull the plugs and look for signs of excess fuel. The Temp 3 sensor can also
cause an engine to be fed so rich it will fail to start. Remove and reseat
the connector. The sensors rarely go bad but the connection is a weak spot.
As for that charger, is it designed to be left on all the time and is it
voltage limited and filtered so as not to damage electronics? More than 1
ECU has been fried from incorrect usage of battery chargers.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Steve Williams
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2014 4:57 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Won't Start in St. Helena, Napa County
Any recommendations for a shop or other expert to diagnose a failure to
start? I'm with relatives in St. Helena, north of Napa, California.
There are a couple of shops in town, so I can call AAA on Monday when they
open. But in the meantime, I'd welcome advice.
'84 Wolfsburg Westy with a Gowesty 2.3L waterboxer. Driven several times a
week.
http://www.fuelly.com/car/volkswagen/vanagon/1984/sbw/16898
Ran fine 100 miles on the way up here Thursday after having a coolant hose
replaced the day before at Peninsula Automotive.
Camped two nights in the driveway with the charger plugged in. Now it won't
start. Light rain last night, but it rained harder down in Santa Cruz a few
days ago.
The fuel pump comes on and then goes off when I turn the key, and there's
fuel in the tank. The topped-off battery spins the gear reduction starter
just fine. The engine fires only occasionally while cranking. The cranking
is interrupted periodically by a brief "stall"--ill-timed spark, maybe?
Nothing obviously wrong in the engine compartment, but I'm no expert.
Clogged fuel filter? Bad ECU? (I've got a never-tried spare ECU with
me.) Anything else I might try on my own?
Thanks, all.
