[T3] Diagnosing Chronic Intermittant No Start Condition

[Dave Hall]

Flippant reply:  Just as some family dogs respond to one family member
better than the others, so too with Type 3s.

More considered reply:  If the problem can be solved by moving terminals
around, there's clearly a poor connection somehwere.

A hard start relay can't do harm, and can be installed without cutting
anything.  It's not essential if everything is functioning well.   At the
least it helps protect the ignition-starter switch contacts.  If the fault
does not recur, you've found a solution. 

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 Chris
Sheridan
Sent: 22 February 2011 18:30
To: type3-vwtype3.org at lists.vwtype3.org
Subject: [T3] Diagnosing Chronic Intermittant No Start Condition

Hi All,
I have a 70 fastback automatic, which has an interesting personality. I
drive it to and from work each day no problem, then over the weekend my wife
gets in it and it won't start for her. This has happened to me before as
well. Sometimes I can just reach back and slightly twist the battery
terminal and it will start. I have been tricked by this several times trying
to troubleshoot it. At this point I have a brand new starter installed, I
have two brand new batteries (bought the 2nd one thinking the first one was
faulty) when in fact the lights always come on nice and bright. tried
jumping it yesterday and still wouldn't start. When I replaced the starter 2
weeks ago I made sure my connections were well and good there, and of course
it didn't start until I jiggled the positive strap. So I have a couple
questions:

1) Is the wire from the postive terminal to the regulator Key to the car
starting? I currently have a standard terminal on the positive post, with
the red wire attached to the post bolt using an eyehole big enough to clear
the 8mm bolt. I just bought a positive line with an internal red pigtail
wire, hoping the connection will be more solid.

2) How big of an issues is the infamous 40 year old long wire from the
solenoid to the starter switch? Is the resistance in this wire a factor over
time like it is in the bus? It doesn't seem to be a factor since it starts
fine most days and there is no glowing idiot light while I drive. Do people
typically install the hard start relay to correct this on type 3s?

3) Assuming I can solve this problem, has anyone set up a dual battery
system? Now that I have two non-returnable new batteries it wouldn't be much
of a stretch to buy the isolator and have some insurance on the starting
thing. If you go with two batteries, can you still use the stock 12v
generator or must to upgrade to an alternator?

Thanks,

Chris Sheridan
70 fastback
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
<http://lists.vwtype3.org/private.cgi/type3-vwtype3.org/attachments/20110222
/2b9ec97f/attachment.htm>
_______________________________________________
VWType3.Org mailing list - type3 at vwtype3.org
http://lists.vwtype3.org/listinfo.cgi/type3-vwtype3.org
Contact gregm at vwtype3.org if you need help with the list.