Date:         Mon, 27 Apr 1998 09:03:39 -0400
Reply-To:     "Lebron, Nathan (GEP, Contractor)" <Nathan.Lebron@GEPEX.GE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Lebron, Nathan (GEP, Contractor)" <Nathan.Lebron@GEPEX.GE.COM>
Subject:      Thanks!RE: OK That's It!  I'm getting rid of this if it refuses t
              o start!
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM

You guys are great!

I am going to stick with it.

If I am up for it, I'll change the starter myself.  Although Bosch is the
standard, I am going to try the Becker.  I have heard good things about Becker
parts also and the lifetime warranty just can't be beat.

Before I do that, I will try to check all that other stuff first.  I rather
spend time looking for a fix than to buy a new starter.

Consider me the list's Guinea Pig for this starter.

Nate El Great
85 GL, 180k mi


        ----------
        From:  Mark Rokus[SMTP:marokus@VOYAGER.NET]
        Sent:  Sunday, April 26, 1998 5:47 PM
        To:  Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
        Subject:  Re: OK That's It!  I'm getting rid of this if it refuses to
start!

        kenneth d lewis wrote:

        > Mark;
        > ATDT(am there, doing that) for statistical reference, how many keys
do
        > you have on your key ring. I am trying to convince my wife to
lighten her
        > load.
        > Drive Safely & Good Luck
        > Ken Lewis<K-ville,NC>
        > 86 VW Transporter Double Cab Pickup
        > 60 Porsche T-5 Coupe
        > 85 VW GL Vanagon<Elvis>
        >
        > On Sat, 25 Apr 1998 19:57:48 -0400 Mark Rokus <marokus@VOYAGER.NET>
        > writes:
        > >> ... you know, the one
        > >> the key is turned and nothings happens?
        > >> Nate El Great
        > >
        > >Nate..
        > >I just went through what sounds like the same problem.. Ah-ha says
I,
        > >Ignition
        > >switch!! So I ordered one.  Finally got around to swapping it out
and
        > >found that
        > >the little tab from the key/lock assembly that actually turns the
        > >electric switch
        > >was broken off and would engage enough to make contact on the "run"
        > >portion of the
        > >switch, but not enough to engage the "start" . A simple trip to the
        > >local bone
        > >yard resulted in the discovery that a rabbit assembly is exactly
the
        > >same. ( at
        > >least on the one that I found). Swapped out the whole thing,  as my
        > >key was
        > >getting bad anyway..  Didn't take more than an hour if you can the
nut
        > >off for the
        > >steering wheel.
        > >Mark Rokus
        > >(waiting for a '87 syncro next week!!!)
        > >
        >
        >
_____________________________________________________________________
        > You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
        > Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
        > Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]



        >

        Hate to dissapoint you but it only has 3 on the ring.  Over 200,000
before
        the problem.  My Rabbit has 155,000 on it and the key ring has
probably 10
        keys on it.  I have not seen any identifiable wear that I would
attribute to
        key weight.  In my experience it has usually been an overheated
contact in
        the switch due to not fixing a poor starter problem when I really
should
        have.  Just to clarify,  the broken piece in the van ignition was the
        extention from the key lock assy. that engages the plastic electrical
switch,
        not the switch itself.
        Mark Rokus