[T3] Endless Problems Fixed! ...Sort Of...

[Dave Hall]

The starter motor problem is very common.  Tapping the motor seats the
brushes and helps them make better contact.   It's sometimes a sign that
connections in the starter circuit are not making good contact, or the
starter motor brushes are not seating well.  With the pre-engage motor,
current goes through the armature via the brushes to inch the starter motor
around to engage the flywheel teeth gently. There's some advice and an
explanation of one cause of this at
http://home.clara.net/hallvw/starter.htm  .  

Certainly cleaning the brushes and commutator and lubricating the starter
motor shaft cured it on mine for several years, but when the problem
recurred, rather than pulling things apart again, I added a starting relay
to cut out the voltage drop through the wiring from battery to ignition
switch and back, which also helps take the load off the ignition-starter
switch (1971 one-year only!).  It has been fine for 10 years or more now.

It's very easy to add the relay - there is a cable that runs by the tunnel
from the starter switch, with a connector near the rear footwell area (mine
is RHD and has it on the right side).  Separate the cable at the connector,
add a length of cable to extend the front part to the relay (30-40Amp 12V
rating is plenty, and this cable need only be side-light thickness as it
just energises the relay), then connect the rear part of the disconnected
cable to the relay output and the other out terminal to the battery+ through
a fuse (some relays have a fuse already fitted on them), then add a ground
to the relay, and when you turn the key, the relay clicks and full power is
applied to the solenoid.

Dave.
UK VW Type 3&4 Club
===================

-----Original Message-----
From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
[mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of J. Jonik
Sent: 19 February 2011 19:56
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: [T3] Endless Problems Fixed! ...Sort Of...

Type III  72  FI  Standard....

snipped

Unrelated issue:  Twice in the last two months the starter would not turn.  
A couple careful taps with a hammer "fixed" that problem.   I THINK this
means the Solenoid is sticking. Right?
  I have spare starters with solenoids...but is this fixable outside of a
serious repair shop?