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E1
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 8785
Location: Westfalia, Earth
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 Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2025 11:00 am Post subject: Re: 1985 Vanagon w/2.5 Subie—no crank/start, one click, going crazy |
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What is the battery voltage while cranking and not starting?
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 10852
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2025 11:10 am Post subject: Re: 1985 Vanagon w/2.5 Subie—no crank/start, one click, going crazy |
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| rlyles wrote: |
| Next up: ground strap tested ok but looked a little wonky, so replacing that, then moving to the previously-posted replacement of the tranny ground, but it seems like the first step may do it based on all the multimeter results. Thanks again! |
Two ground straps. One inside the battery compartment.
Do you know how to test for "voltage drop across that strap"?
The voltage drop test is like a super-power to the steward of a 40 year old vehicle.
It's good to learn "the voltage drop test" and that battery-to-chassis strap is a perfect learning opportunity.
0.2volts is sorta acceptable but you can get better from such a short section (I would).
All corroded connections can be intermittent and cause "troublesome diagnoses".
Best to simply renew EVERY connection you encounter; then every subsequent diagnosis step becomes more reliable.
Delete the ground strap at the nose of the tranny.
If not trouble now, then trouble someday.
Running electricity thru the van drivetrain is just foolish,
there's no two ways about it.
Bypass the drivetrain with your starter electrical needs.
It's the best $15 mod there is.
Discard that VW strap and replace it with a new direct copper cable from the starter mount nut direct to the chassis. Here's one way that just bypasses the whole drivetrain. https://youtu.be/JEH9JP7Abyg?si=hFctxYr2VNYWuX1F
There's something to be said for choosing a chassis ground point inside the engine compartment where you can SEE at a glance that it's clean, dry, not corroded.
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rlyles
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2023
Posts: 10
Location: Clemson, SC
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2025 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: 1985 Vanagon w/2.5 Subie—no crank/start, one click, going crazy |
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Ok at this point I’m at a loss: fully planned to jump the starter ground again to get it started, but now that’s not doing it—click from the relay up front, no click on the starter solenoid, but mysteriously the fuel pump cycles now, even got a signal once from the ultra gauge. Otherwise DOA—so all my plans were to do with replacing grounds & now that doesn’t seem to be what’s going on, since battery - to starter, engine, chassis, etc does nothing; full volts at alternator, but no volts at the starter so what the heck.
Edit: had the tester in the red/black wire to the ignition switch to check volts on start (two phone-a-friends deep at this point), & it cranked. Got it home, shut it off to put the steering wheel on the right way, wouldn’t crank, tester again clamped to the front door hinge, cranked. The ignition switch is new, but I guess it could be the connector, or maybe the actual keyway piece? Either way, I can crank it now & maybe someone else who’s been equally miserable can try that one day on theirs lol |
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wesitarz
Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2012
Posts: 1781
Location: Victoria,B.C.Canada
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2025 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: 1985 Vanagon w/2.5 Subie—no crank/start, one click, going crazy |
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"Click from the relay up front"? Do you have a hot start relay wired into it that's maybe bad?
Fuel pump cycles? ECU is getting ground.
Transmission ground (VW)and engine ground from intake to firewall (VW) always worked for me but not in the rust belt. A new ground from starter to chassis as Sodo suggests should work. A good ground from the intake ground point is required for the ECU. |
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