[T3] no start -- but just drove it!

[Dave Hall]

Nobody has worked out quite what happens in the starter motor to stop it
working after a journey (normally a long heat-soaked run though!).  We had
John's (I think) car do that at Landers, WY on the first invasion - Russ
shorted the two starter terminals together with a dime (I don't think the
particular coin matters!) to give the motor full battery voltage.  Some
people tap the casing with a hammer and try again - often works then, so
must be something like brushes not seating properly, or the gear not sliding
to engage.  If the brushes don't pass the current to make the armature start
inching round to move the gear to pre-engage, you never get the
solenoid-controlled starting current through the system.

Good luck finding the problem - or you can probably bypass it with a hsrd
start relay.  I fitted that after several years of being OK following a
clean-out when it started giving trouble interittently again.  Touch wood
it's been fine since.

On the other hand, it may be a lead that dropped off in the cold - brass
monkeys and all that!

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 Bryon
Garvin
Sent: 13 January 2012 17:55
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: Re: [T3] no start -- but just drove it!

found this:  http://www.hallvw.clara.co.uk/starter.htm

thanks Dave :)  reading now

 - Bryon

On Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 9:43 AM, Bryon Garvin
<spinningrooves at gmail.com>wrote:

> Ignition switch was repaired by Jim about a year ago.  I guess 
> anything's a possibility but that hasn't showed any signs of conking 
> out.  I remember BEFORE he fixed it, I had a whole host of problems 
> which ended with the car running in the driveway... I turned the key 
> off, pulled it out and the car kept running.  doh !
>
> But those issues went away immediately after I put his repaired switch in.
>
> Is there a procedure I can do to bypass the current wiring to the 
> starter and see if that's what failed?  Temporarily run new wires?  I 
> only briefly looked at that area a few times when I was under the car 
> doing brake lines, clutch cable and a few other things.  Don't have 
> any experience with starters....yet.  I guess that's about to change.
>
>  - Bryon
>
>
> On Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 9:32 AM, Mike Fisher <fisherfarms at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> It could be a bad wire/ground on the starter/solenoid or wonky 
>> ignition switch?
>>
>> On Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 9:15 AM, Bryon Garvin 
>> <spinningrooves at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > Hi all -
>> >
>> > 71 Fastback/FI/MT
>> >
>> > Drove my son to school today.  Returned to the car and it wouldn't
>> start.
>> >  It is just below freezing today and the car started fine.  Drove 4
>> miles
>> > to the school, dropped him off.  Got back in, turned the key, got 
>> > both
>> oil
>> > and generator lights, fuel pump ran and stopped.  Turned the key to
>> start
>> > position....nothing.  Not a peep.  Tried many times then locked the 
>> > door and walked to work.
>> >
>> > Is it possible that the cold weather is doing something to the 
>> > starter
>> that
>> > might change when it gets a few degrees above freezing?  I have had 
>> > ZERO issues with starting this car in the cold and sub-freezing 
>> > temps.  After all, it started at my house and I drove it this morning.
>> >
>> > The car isn't too far from work, but I DO have to work today so 
>> > dealing with it is going to be interesting.  Any suggestions ?
>> >
>> >  - Bryon, '71 Fastback
>> >
>> > ps - sorry to just ask without doing a lot of research.  My time is
>> limited
>> > today to get it running.  I searched the archives but my key words
>> weren't
>> > narrowing threads down very fast.  I'll keep looking.....
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