Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (August 1997)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 19 Aug 97 09:17:14 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         bachmanb@smtpgw1.plk.af.mil
Subject:      Re: Your Trek

Ivan-

Yi! Another chapter to add to my love-hate relationship with Sears. I love their tools, their deals, and the ease of whipping out the charge card. But I watch them "like a hawk" when it comes to car stuff. Been back three times questioning them about the Michelin tires they put on the vanagon for the P.O. Broke a socket trying to remove a lug bolt they torqued on to "within an inch of its life" on my old '66. And the list, I'm sure, will grow.

When you said that the key template wasn't the same, I had visions of that part in every "slasher" movie where the soon-to-be victims decide, "you go look there, I'll check behind that, etc." (Did you get the same feeling?)

Anyway, you're back. Every VW starter I've seen is self contained; they don't have a separate "solenoid" like you used to find on some cars (Ford comes to mind). Before you start, you may want to creep under the car and do a visual on all the wiring to the starter. If nothing looks visibly overheated, try the "screwdriver" test on the starter: make sure it's in neutral with the parking brake set; momentarily bridge the large bolt-on terminal to the starter solenoid terminal (make sure you got the right one - check the "book"). If it works consistently, the starter is probably okay.

If so, turn your attention to the ignition switch; you may have charred the contacts or the heat generated might have caused the starter contact to receed into the nylon body such that it will not reliably make a circuit. There's no easy way to visually check this, but if you're electronically inclined, you may turn up some anomalies with a volt-ohm meter. If you need to replace the switch, be advised that (if it's like all other VWs since 1968), there is the mechanical portion (the key lock), and an electrical part. The electrical section is removable from inside the lock after you take out a setscrew. Again, I believe the Bentley manual has a good step-by-step to guide you through this. At a minimum, you usually have to remove the plastic shrouding covering the steering column, and remove the lock-switch assembly from the column in order to get to the screw.

-Blaine


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.