Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 16:52:32 -0800
Reply-To: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Subject: Re: HELP QUICK! NOT STARTING
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
Sounds from the description to be a starter-related problem (as opposed to
being related to your other fuel/air/ignition problems)
When you have that much current passing through wires and components, any
resistance can cause huge voltage drop. (One of the our electrical geniuses
can help me out here - calling David Beierl...) That voltage drop could
explain the radio cut-out.
The resistance is possibly caused by a sticky starter solenoid, bad brushes
in the starter, or loose cables. I'm not sure how the cold weather could be
contributing to this, but those are some ideas.
When I've had problems like this in other vehicles (an old Jeep comes to
mind), I could usually get it started by whacking the starter motor with a
mallet. :-)
Are you getting any kind of a whine, or clicks when you turn the key? Or
just dead silence? Is the starter solenoid engaging the starter motor, but
just doesn't have enough "oomph" to spin the engine?
Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA
-----Original Message-----
From: Gina [mailto:GG811@SENTRYMICRO.COM]
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2000 6:55 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: HELP QUICK! NOT STARTING
Hi Listees,
This is Not the time of the year to be putting around the engine
compartment...its COLD here in NH and tonite my vanagon left me
sitting...not to restart.
Earlier symptoms of the day: (yesterday she purred like a kitten in the
middle of s now storm)
*started fine in the morning @ around 15degrees F - ran rough (my usual
surging problems)
*started up fine at the end of day, again around 15 degrees F - ran
rough and stalled at every intersection (yeah, my usual idle problem,
engine cold, on a humid day too...mann i'm tired of playing with the gas
pedal)
*VERY STRANGE - at an intersection i was restarting (it has Always
started right back up again) my cd player cut out momentarily when i
cranked the engine - the reason this is strange is the fact that my
radio is hot wired on a constant lead and continues running no matter
what.
*parked at post office - came back out, engine wouldn't crank...single
turn of the crankshaft maybe - real real slow...you could call it not
cranking at all really
*turned key off, tried it twice more...same slow, almost no crank
*waited about 90 seconds and tried again...slow no crank, held the key
on anyway...then nice fast crank, she starts right up and im off.
*get home (Yesss she brought me back to my driveway, Good girl) tried to
restart, same no-cranking
*noted on the way home that the headlights were not dim at all
*further notes, oil light has been coming on lately, (dont know if this
is relevant, just thought id mention it) steady on, not blinking, as
soon as i take my foot off the gas pedal...am currently down half a
quart (valve covers rusted through) but has been doing the same even
when topped off. At zero degrees F she sat for 4 days, i couldnt get
her started and charging didnt help.
starter? loose wire or cable? Please help me folks...this is my daily
vehicle and getting to my wits end real fast. I dont know my way around
the engine well yet even in the daylight...so specifics on your
suggestions are most appreciated.
thank you Thank you
gina
85 vanagon gl
118,985 miles
