Date: Wed, 26 Mar 97 13:12:00 E
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Lebron,Nathan" <nlebron@troy.cobe.com>
Subject: RE: starter problems
Well Rick welcome to the starter club!
I had the exact problem with my 85. One way to get it started is to go
under the van, hit the starter with a hammer while someone has the
ignition turned. What happens is that the starter motor turns but the
binhex doesn't spin out to engage with the flywheel. If you go under the
passenger-rear side of the van, you can hear a spinning sound when the
key is turned.
Hammering the starter around the connectors does the trick ( I have an
automatic so jump-kicking it is not an option).
Solution: New starter. I have not had the problem since! I finally got
fet up when I was forced to go under the van on a 19 degree windy day
with about 2 inches of snow. I paid about $160 for a Bosch reman.
A bad solenoid also causes this problem but if you turn the key and hear
clicking around your engine, your solenoid is ok.
Nate El Great
85 Blue Whale-160K Auto
----------
>From: vanagon
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 1997 12:18 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: starter problems
Hi,
My 85 Westie would not start after a three-four hour drive on the
interstate...this had happened before around town but was cured with a
new battery. After about fifteen minutes it started...then it happened
again about an hour later and would not start at all until I jumped it
forty five minutes later....the additional voltage must have helped
but it wasn't the battery...there was nothing when I tried to crank it
except the instrument lights did go on...My local shop ran it all day
with no luck repeating the symptomes...even drove it for a couple of
hours...must have been the highway miles/speed...They checked the
grounding harness and the wiring...and the starter/solenoid
{apparently the solenoid would cost more to replace than the entire
starter/solenoid combination}...no luck...the starter appears to
register the same on the gauges whether it's hooked up from the van or
direct...So...the only option is to replace the 160$ starter/solenoid
and see if that takes care of it on my next long trip...the theory is
that the wiring in the starter must be getting heated up during long
use at 70-75 mph. Any other suggestions? Thanks for any advice...I
must do something...its no fun being stranded...
Rick