Date:         Wed, 1 Nov 1995 17:46:09 -0600
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         yug@wwa.com (Jon Kostal,Sr.)
Subject:      Re: It won't even start.

>Hi,
>I have an 87 syncro van that has a slight starting problem (this is
>different from my previous post about cold starting, although this problem
>only happens on the first start of the day)
>
>Some mornings I will go to start my van and almost nothing happens.....The
>dashboard idiot lights come on thru their built in test, and i hear a slight
>hum from the engine compartment, but no cranking of the starter.  I'll turn
>the key all the way off and back on and sometimes it will crank and start
>after a slight hesitation, other times nothing.  When nothing happens I just
>go back to the engine compartment and wiggle all the connectors and find
>none loose and tap all the black boxes.  Then, magically, it starts!
>
>WHATSUPWITDAT?
>
>thanks,
>Fred Porter
>'87 syncro van

My vanagon does this, old buses used to do this, bugs used to do this. It
can easlily be relieved by installing a relay by the starter(we used to use
Karmann-Ghia horn relay, but any 12v relay will work, have seen big Ford
starter relays installed). It's something to do with the length of wire
from the ignition switch to the starter, the chassis ground, and mystery.
If you need more detail, write me.

yug


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