Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2016 22:01:38 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: No start
In-Reply-To: <CAL+ZmTwoFNoOoQCryaY-0wEtfkfDsNKu9ECZr5qV=TpTm1MK-w@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
I'm going to ask for forgiveness for being snarkly up front so here goes. I'm really trying to be helpful. The most important part of becoming self-sufficient is preparedness and that begins with a mindset and some knowledge.
Here are some points to help everyone get better at diagnosing single point failures.
Get a reasonably good multi meter and learn how to use it. If you learn ohm's and Kirchhoff's laws you will be able to reliably diagnose almost any circuit out there, especially DC. Volts, Amps, Ohms, get them licked and troubleshooting electrical circuits will become like plumbing.
On your vehicle, learn how everything operates, how the various systems are related, and the nuances for your van.
For testing the ignition switch everything needed should already be in the dash. When you turn the key on you should see the alternator and oil pressure lights come on. If they don’t they need to be fixed. As you continue to turn the key to the start position they need to stay on while the engine is cranking. If the engine cranks long enough the oil pressure light may go off but the alternator light will stay on until the engine actually starts and the alternator begins charging. If the lights go out as the key is being turned to the start position the ignition switch is bad. I have seen this many times where there is a dead spot between on and start where the lights go out.
Now this only tests from the ignition switch to the dashboard. There are number of other places where the wiring to the ignition coil and ECU can go bad. This is where the meter comes in. Common failures are the fuse box itself, the connectors in-out of same and a common favorite over the last three years is the wire from the coli to the ECU breaking down inside the insulation. It looks good but it is missing inside. You need luck or a current meter-diode test to find that one. Unplugging the ECU at the connector removes the load and the wiring will test good with a voltmeter. Why you need to understand voltage drops as they relate to current draw and resistance.
Another starting test is looking at the tachometer while cranking the engine. If it is not bouncing that little bit you have an ignition problem. If it is bouncing then you can check for spark. If you have spark then you have a fuel or compression problem. Start at one end, either the beginning or end and keep working until the fault is found.
Practice. Disconnect something and try to diagnose it. You will learn and gain confidence.
When things go wrong and you have the confidence to deal with it you then get to impress others but more importantly you eliminate fear especially when far from home. This is very important since most of us have these vans to go far from home.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Grant Johnson
Sent: Wednesday, June 1, 2016 8:55 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: No start
Just an update on this. I feel foolish admitting this, but maybe it will help the next guy. After the van being down for a week, jury rigging a Ford fuel pump, and troubleshooting my ignition today.... The problem was the new ignition switch I put in about a month ago new from the flaps. Put my old one back in and Vroom!
On Thursday, May 26, 2016, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
> To adapt the inlet side, you could use the older style square filter.
> Some say this filter causes pump to cavitate but I hear no difference
> running my vanagon Bosch pump with or without that filter. My fuel
> tank has the smaller outlet.
>
> There's a fuel pump relay bypass method shown in Bentley. Do this to
> see if pump runs.
> Search Crazyvwvanman forum name on the samba vanagon forum for a neat
> electrical diagnostic tool one can build. Can't recall Marks handle on
> this forum.
>
> Neil.
>
>
>
>
> On Thursday, May 26, 2016, Grant Johnson <smiley.grant@gmail.com
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','smiley.grant@gmail.com');>> wrote:
>
>> Inlet and outlet in ford pump are both 5/16. Had a heck of a time
>> getting the braided hose over the barb on the outlet, too. Van won't
>> start so I can't say if it works or not, but it's a hundred bucks
>> cheaper than the vanagon pump at Napa
>>
>> On Thursday, May 26, 2016, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> the Ford pump has same size inlet and outlet?
>>>
>>>
>>> On 5/26/16, Grant Johnson <smiley.grant@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> > It's an 88, ... Fuel pump looked OG so I swapped in the Napa pump
>>> > for a Ford. That was it's own can of worms, with the fuel
>>> tank
>>> > outlet being 12 mm and the pump inlet being 7.........
>>> --
>>> Neil n
>>>
>>> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
>>>
>>> 1988 Westy Images
>>> <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
>>>
>>> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <
>>> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
>>>
>>> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
>>>
>>
>
> --
> Neil n
>
> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
>
> 1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
>
> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical
> <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
>
> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
>
>
