No Start and then a push

[leathersmyth]

85 1.9 standard Full camper

So looking for thoughts...
The van has always started without any issues. Yesterday after driving for about half hour shut off, went to restart and the fuel pump would come to life, The starter would whir but nothing. Tried half dozen times to start each time the same. Lots of cranking from battery, fuel pump noise etc.
So we started it rolling let out the clutch and it sprang to life and ran perfect. It had maybe 10ish liters of gas in tank. Went and refilled thinking maybe there was a airlock or something. Stopped and started several times after that and each time fired up without hesitation...
My question is if it was a fuel issue would it of fired up so quickly with the push?
There were 4 kids 8-14 that were doing the pushing so it is not like we were rolling quickly when let the clutch out...
Thank you

[danfromsyr]

it's doesn't take much to pop start one of these.. the gearing really helps get the motor over..

now it would make sense that since the van started and ran fine once popped, that it wouldn't be a fueling or spark related issue. and that your starter whirring (but not engaging? did it sound faster than before?) would indicate it's time to R&R the starter motor. at the least a stater on a vintage VW should be pulled every couple years to assure clean contact surfaces and cable/wire connections.


this type of issue won't get better, even if it seems to 'go away' for a brief hiatus.. it will find that worse possible time to rear it's ugly head once again..

Edit: Ohh and perfect use of some child labor.. they may never get to experience the joys of manually starting a car again in their lives..
and be mystified when they attempt it with an automatic (which is a 90+% of cars left out there to drive)
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[woita]

I'd like to ask you for an advice...
While today driving in crazy winter weather, all of the sudden engine stopped to have a power above 2000rpm, even the sound is like it goes only for 3 cylinders.... So I turned it and went slowly back...
Before I go to the garage, don't u know by chance where to check it and have a look at it..? I don't think it about the spart plugs..maybe pump...?)

It sounds it goes just for 3 valves and when it goes over 2000rpm the power/performance just decreases...

Any advice much appreciated!

Thanks!

[Terry Kay]

Maybe plugs, maybe wires, maybe cap, maybe rotor.
Maybe a good tune up would cure the problem.
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T.K.

[Wildthings]

Always good to let people know what power plant you have, a Diesel engine is going to have a very different trouble shooting procedure than a gas one. Assuming you have a gasoline engine and it hasn't been run much in a long time then I would guess that the crappy fuel has cause an intake valve to hang open dropping the compression to zero on that cylinder and messing with the induction on the others.

[woita]

It was daily runner before I bought it so I don't think ii is caused by fuel quality. Yes it is gasoline 2.1 boxer. I changed the fuel and air filter and spar plugs. Don't know if I sould change the spark plugs wires and distributor or take a look n fuel pipes instead..

Thanks for any advice.

[Syncro Jael]

I am not sure about the 2wd transaxle, but from what I have been told and my Son witnessed, push starting is a gamble with destroying a transaxle.

I have seen a couple sitting at AA trans and Matt told me it was a NO-NO.

My son pushed started his many times, then one time it took the tranny out.

Just for reference...
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1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)

[Terry Kay]

<<Don't know if I sould change the spark plugs wires and distributor or take a look in fuel pipes instead.>>

Well let me tell you all about periodic maintenance.
Once at least every 100,000 miles or so the engine operations system will require new parts.
Do you have all of the vehicles maintenance records since it was new?
Know when it was last tuned up?

Then assume or think or ponder about nothing.
Change everything.
Then start diagnosing after you get the rudimentary periodic maintenance items all done.

You bought a used vehicle.
First thing to do is all of the required tune up stuff first.
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T.K.

[Ahwahnee]

too little info [on the vehicle now under discussion] to say much more than a thorough inspection of various components and functions. I can see how one might observe it is down on power but to conclude it is running on 3 cylinders is pretty specific at this point.

what tk mentions are possibilities, so is a clogged cat converter.

as for the dangers of starting a manual trans with a push start -- have I done this hundreds of time? or thousands? you'd have to really screw up to harm anything doing this.

[Terry Kay]

Prerequisite to going out joyriding in a recently acquired vehicle of unknown origin as far as it's maintenance records are known or not known, at least tune the engine completely, change all of it's fluids, Yank the wheels and see what you can see.

Looks & sounds like this van is a victim of ride today, fix much later.

No wonder it's gotta be push started.
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T.K.

[zastrow_qr]

What about ECU?