TheSamba.com :: View topic - 77 Westy seeks a more reliable start, possibly more

Mon Sep 29, 2003 8:44 am

It all started when I took my bus to the beach late august. after parking on the dunes overnight, it took a couple of tries to get the thing fired up. I thought "weird" because it always cranked on the first try. I chalked it up to damp ocean breeze or whatever.
The next morning, it did the same thing, only it took about 7 tries to get it going. I checked under the cap for condensation, etc. but nothing. anyway, I expected this problem to go away once I got her back to Tennessee away from those evil damp salty breezes from the Gulf of Mexico, and it did - for about a week and a half. I tried all the traditional theories - vapor lock and all that, and I've recently heard about the cold start valve (but not much). Incidentally, this is my first VW and I love her dearly. I'm searching for knowledge, so pardon my ignorance. Here is your laundry list of clues:
It starts ok on warm sunny days, or after It's been running.
Lately it's been colder, and it's like pulling teeth at 7:00 am.
If I push start her, she cranks right up, and even if she doesn't, turning
her over one time makes it crank with the key afterwards.
If it coughs and barely turns over once on say the 9th try, it will start
like magic on the 10th.
It now takes 5-10 tries to sputter to life depending on temp.
77 body, 78 engine, 2.0L, hydraulic lifters, fuel injection, electronic
ignition, rebuilt 60,000 ago. Runs beautifully after I get it going.

thanks a million guys.
Luke

Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:26 am

start with the easy stuff- if you parked on the beach and, as you say, it was breezy, you may have gotten some sand in places it doesn't belong. in any event , you definitely probably got some corrosion, which will make existing issues worse. so, try this- clean your starter connections of all corrosion, and the ground straps on the vehicle. replace the spark plugs and wires. you may want to pull the starter and clean and lube the shaft, just to make sure the starter doesn't work any harder than it has to.

Mon Sep 29, 2003 10:12 am

I got rid of my fuel inj, so I'm no expert there, but if you feel like the Thermo-Time Switch or the Cold Start Valve is at fault I am willing to loan you mine to try. Both are new. Also have a new Head Temp Sensor. All are small and light and the shipping you would pay there and back would be minimal. If one of them end up being the problem, we could talk about selling any or all of the parts. I am in the Columbia, SC area. There are several places to look for info on the FI, The type2.com site, Bentley manual, and How to Tune and Modify Bosch Fuel Injection are good starts. Good luck Luke. Dave

Mon Sep 29, 2003 10:40 am

When was the last time you charged the battery without the alternator?

Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:01 am

Dave, thanks for such a generous offer. My problem there is that since I'm not so sure how the cold start valve works, I don't know how it would contribute to the problem. I'm going to try replacing plugs/wires etc., like you guys said and if that doesn't work, I guess then somebody can fill me in on that cold start valve. Speaking of sand, bljones, I need to replace my boots - how much of a pain in the ass is that? I've heard it's bad. any direction? yeah...haven't really charged my battery with anything but the alternator... that'll be next on my list. I was mostly wondering if my bus's symptoms were those of some common malady, and that I had done something heinously wrong to anger it.
Luke

Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:25 am

if you are going to replace the CV boots, take the time to do a careful inspection of the CVs themselves. If the boots have been torn for any length of time, chances are they are probably worn to the point where you might as well replace them while you have the half shafts disassembled. the real PITA to boot replacement is half shaft removal, and the real key here is patience and cleanliness. spray the cv bolts with penetrating oil three times a day two days before taking the shafts apart, and then make sure the sockets of the hex bolts are SPOTLESS. clean out all the grungle in there so that the twelve point drive can get a good grip, other wise you will do some major strippage. take your time, and do a search on cv joints here- there's lots of good advice.

Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:49 pm

As far as I know, the Cold Start Valve is a device that adds extra fuel at start-up when the thermo-time switch directs it to. The thermo-time switch is activated at cold temps. I think the idea is to give the engine a rich mixture during cold weather start-up just like pumping the pedal a few times on a carbed motor does. Both parts are easy to replace. BTW, I was going to replace my CV boots last month and after taking them apart I decided to replace the CV axles as a whole new unit. The point is I ordered new boot kits from Bus Depot and now I don't need them. They come with grease, boots, and the circlip you put on the shaft. I used the bolts that came with the kit for my new shafts, so you would need to get those, but I would make a deal on the rest of the kits. I don't know if that helps or not, but the offers there. Dave

Mon Sep 29, 2003 1:03 pm

how much you want for that stuff, Dave?

Mon Sep 29, 2003 1:43 pm

I don't know how much individual bolts are so I don't know what to subtract from the original $10 a piece price for the kits, but $25 for all four sounds right to me. I hate pricing parts, that why I don't work in sales. Dave

Tue Sep 30, 2003 4:19 am

sounds like a mighty fine deal to me Dave, as long as you're sure they'll fit a 77 - email me ...............somekindaguy@hotmail.com...............I appreciate it