Date:         Tue, 8 Dec 1998 19:46:14 -0600
Reply-To:     Racer X <akimmons@PDQ.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Racer X <akimmons@PDQ.NET>
Subject:      Re: 81 Vanagon: temperamental start
Comments: To: Bob Norman <B.Norman@THEZONE.NET>, vanagon@VANAGON.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

You are a brave man to be living up there!
I won't ever complain about working on my car in rainy weather again.
How cold does it get out there?
I can only guess what the problem is but wanted to throw in my 2 cents
when I noticed where you were and I was thinking today that here
(Houston) it was getting too cold to be doing car repairs. Today was our
really first day of cold....I think it still hit in the low
60's....(sorry to have it so easy!)...

Well if were my car and I was really cold...
I concentrate on the battery and/or cables. Most of that work could be
done from the inside!

Good Luck!
Tony
87GL
Houston, Texas
Drizzly, Overcast and a vicious 58º


-------------------------------------------
Bob Norman wrote:
>
> Tom Young wrote:
>
> > Rex:
> > ---snip---
> > I assume we aren't talking about the usual problem with the Vanagon and its
> > starter (turn the key and.... nothing happens) ---snip---
>
> Tom,
> and anyone else:
>
> Is this indeed a common thing?
> It has just started happening to me.
>
> It would turn over the first time I tried it, but if it didn't start initially, then
> that after that the starter would not work.  I would leave it for a day or so, then
> I'd be granted another chance, again if it didn't start on the first try,  forget it
> for at least a day. Weird or what?
>
> Thought it was the battery; charged it up (down a little) but still no change.  I
> don't think its the same old Bosch solenoid problems that I had with my bug, (the
> corroded contacts & bar), as it is too regular, and turning the ignition
> on&off&on&off&on&off.... doesn't work.
>
> Any thoughts?
> I'm about to go take the starting motor out, but it's bitterly cold and very windy
> out, and i'd rather avoid it if I could (NOTHING hurts worse than hard objects
> hitting cold fingers).
>
> Any and all comments are most welcome!
>
> TIA
>
> Bob Norman
> '81 Westy
> Gander, Newfoundland,
> Canada