Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1999 11:08:59 -0500
Reply-To: kdlewis@JUNO.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kenneth D Lewis <kdlewis@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: Solenoid for parts or Bushing? opinions please!
Content-Type: text/plain
Kieth;
I would rule out any possible battery/alternator problems first. A weak
battery can give the same symptoms as a starter problem. Usually most
FLAPS will test these for free. My wife's 85 GL was having intermittent
starting problems also. I was pretty sure the battery was bad because the
voltage dropped to 9.6 while starting. My Fluke volt meter has a special
function to catch this. I wanted to eliminate the possibility of the
battery not receiving a good charge. I replaced the voltage regulator
because I was not quite getting 14 volts at the battery. The old one did
have a worn down brush. The charge voltage came up nicely with the new
regulator but did not help the low starting voltage.
I finally took it to a battery store and the technician put a variable
load on it. He agreed that the voltage was dropping and took off the
filler caps and reapplied the load. The problem was now obvious, one of
the cells started to smoke! Expect to pay more for a new battery because
of the recessed posts.
Be sure to check all connections associated with the starter current
path i.e. engine grounds, battery connections etc..
Good Luck & Drive Safely
Ken Lewis 86 Crewcab,60 T-5 Coupe.
On Sat, 27 Mar 1999 10:07:29 EST Keith Olsen <VintagePkr@AOL.COM> writes:
>I have read many suggestions regarding my starter question post a
>while back.
>Here is a little history that might help.
>My 87 auto GL originally started fine all the time until the winter
>came. When
>the nights started to fall below about 20 degrees at night the van
>which was
>not garaged would not turn over in the morning. The lights would dim
>when the
>key was turned and I'd hear the apprpriate fuel pumps turning, but no
>starter
>engagement sound. After warming up, it eventually would turn over.
>This could
>either be accomplished in one of two ways. Either I would try and
>start it at
>5 minute intervals and the resistance heat of the tries would warm it
>enough
>to start it or, I would wait until the sun shone into my van's back
>window and
>remove the engine lid and let the greenhose effect work for me.
>Either one
>would work. But it needless to say, It wouldnt have made a good
>volunteer
>firefighter transport vehicle.Planning ahead before use was required.
>I explained this to my friend who is quite a competent Saab mechanic
>and he
>suggested we pull the starter and check it for moisture. Sure enough,
>after
>getting it out and apart we discovered rusty moisture all over that
>plunger
>unit. We actually cleaned it out and replaced the pitted plunger with
>one
>from a starter that I had from an old 79 bus. It worked right off the
>bat,
>however, I soon found out that if the starter was used many times
>(like 3 or 4
>starts in an hour) it would need an hour or so to rest before it would
>start
>again. This would no longer happen first thing in the morning no
>matter how
>cold it was. However now it was doing it while hot. I tried a slight
>tap
>with a small hammer on the solinoid while turning the key and that
>worked onhe
>starter?
>The solenoid only?
>This elusive tip bushing that I've heard mentioned?
>
>or... does some fellow listee have an old starter laying around the
>workshop
>with busted teeth or something that I can swipe the solenoid side for
>parts
>from?
>Any help appreciated.
>Keith
>87 Wolfie GL
>
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