Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2020 18:35:09 -0700
Reply-To: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject: Re: So stuff even happens to me!
In-Reply-To: <SN6PR10MB28949B5F69DE92458574C25BA0C40@SN6PR10MB2894.namprd10.prod.outlook.com>
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You find that neutral safety switch on the shifter to be less than stellar?
Only one I’ve worked on for a friend was, maybe someone was in there before, a bit janky.
I seem to recall the white plastic brittle.
Alistair
> On Apr 3, 2020, at 6:32 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I checked the history on this van. It had a starter fail and was Repalced with a Bosch SR25X March 2017. Towed in June of 2017 which is when this GW starter was installed at 228K miles. Being an automatic I know that voltage drops to the solenoid can be a problem although the GW starters usually aren’t that fussy. I’ll check the switches including the neutral safety and see what I find. It just took me by surprise. I acquired this van last April, at 248K, now at 266K and 3 NY to Florida trips. This is the first glitch that just picked a bad day to tick me off!
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
> From: Alistair Bell [mailto:albell@shaw.ca]
> Sent: Friday, April 3, 2020 8:57 PM
> To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> Subject: Re: So stuff even happens to me!
>
> Oh i like the pigtails.
>
> I had the solenoid trigger were come off, on a trip. We had stopped at head of small spur which we explored by foot. Van wouldn’t start on return. Was a level spur and wife, son, and myself managed to push start. We then drove up onto another spur , high to allow rolling down hill start, to camp. Next day I managed, with long pliers etc, and cutting my knuckles, to get wire on via engine compartment.
>
> https://shufti.blog/2010/09/08/end-of-august-trip/
>
> I have re done that connection since.
>
> Dennis, are you going to pull starter this weekend?
>
> Alistair
>
>
> On Apr 3, 2020, at 2:36 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Yes!
> Better yet, since the solenoid connection is a failure point of its own, the GW starter features an attached pigtail with 2 connectors on it. This is for the vans where a separate wire was at the solenoid for the ECU start signal. Anyway, the wire and connector(s) can now stay in the engine compartment. Made it easy to uncover the spare and use that to jump it.
>
> Of course now I need to some diagnostics and a fix.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alistair Bell [mailto:albell@shaw.ca]
> Sent: Friday, April 3, 2020 5:24 PM
> To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> Subject: Re: So stuff even happens to me!
>
> 91 is the 2wd right. Easier to get to the solenoid , in the field, than the Syncro, right?
>
> Alistair
>
>
> On Apr 3, 2020, at 2:16 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> So today I drove the 91 to get groceries. Went to a store ~ 4 miles from home. Drove there no problem. Do my shopping. Get in the van, turn the key no start. No cranking at all.
>
> So it a bit cool rainy and nasty out. After getting my lack of patience when stuff don't work figured lets see what happened.
> So at first though is battery dead! I have one of those USB sockets wit voltmeter. 12.5 volts. Turn key, warning lights on, turn key to start, dim slightly. Ried with gear shift not in park or neutral, no change, so in park the dimming tells me we are trying to energize the solenoid.
>
> So go in back. Who put all the groceries on top of the engine? Yea, move all the stuff. Get rid of the mattress and rug, lift the cover watch it fall, lift again and move it so it stays up. Anyway, look for anything wrong, nothing. So thinking just a case of maybe solenoid sticking or excessive voltage drop. So get tool box. Piece of wire. This is a GoWesty starter so there is an unused terminal on the solenoid harness. So make jumper and connect from terminal back of alternator to solenoid. It cranks. Go back up front, turn on ignition, go back, use jumper to start and on my way.
>
> Get home, try with key and its works as it should! Go figure.
>
> Dennis
>
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