Date:         Sun, 4 Dec 1994 12:31:37 -0500 (EST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         sstones <sstones@io.org>
Subject:      Starter relay


Okay... Here's the scenario...
You jump into the van, put the key into the ignition (not the silver socket)
turn it to the start position, the leds light up for their proof program,
no starter noise, you continue holding the key in start, you check your 
headlight switch to see if you left them on overnight, you didn't,  you
continue holding the ignition switch to start, a second passes, the van 
starts up perfectly... just a bit tardy.

Now what's going on here.  Has anyone else experienced this?  It seems to
happen only when it's cold... the colder it is the longer the pause even.
Why does it do this.  Do the points on the starter eelay freeze open and
need to wait for the relay coil to warm up before they move??? That was my
first thought.
Or... Is the computer preventing the starter relay from closing until it's
finished computing somthing... reading the BAP, MAP and other important 
sensors?

Anyway... to get to the point...
If the computer really does need this extra second to calculate before
allowing startup... Push starting would be a bad idea wouldn't it?
I always thought that the Do Not Push Start warning on the visor was just
to deter morons from fucking it up through stupidity.
(A pair of these moron types once came into a garage where I was working.)
Their car cranked fine but wouldn't start, so they decided to push start it.
First moronic idea.   :)
Anyway, as a method of push starting, they tied it to Moron #2's pickup and
began towing it around city streets in heavy traffic(yeah, that'l start it)
Second Moronic idea.  :)
In first gear,
Third moronic idea.   :)
And they forgot to turn the ignition on.
:)  It wasn't so much an idea as plain and simple Moronity  :)
Anyway... I guess that they must have gotten bored of receiving the finger
for pulling stupid moron stunts (towing a car in gear in traffic) so they
came towing into the garage.  So...
They tell my boss... "it won't start"
Verify the complaint... Boss goes out to try to start it.
Needless to say, this round town trek in gear with the ignition off, has 
filled the cylinders and exhaust with gasoline. (it's carburated)
Boss turns the key to start...
It's not my van so it tries to start immeadiately...
It blows the exhaust system all over the neighboorhood.

Back to my start up pause... Do any of you experts, whether you've
experienced it or not, want to hazard a guess as to why?
Sorry about the long winded story... I thought I could make it concise.

I hope Morons #1 and 2 aren't on the list...   :)


Cheers

<sstones@io.org>
SStones             Toronto,  Ontario.