starter only catches sometimes

[fstbckgt]

sometimes it'll start right up on the first key turn, other times i can hear the starter spinning but the engine isnt turning over, usually after 3-4 more tries it usually catches and starts but this is getting annoying, anyone know what the culprit could be

[Atlantis]

My experience with this, sounds like a connection somewhere from starter to coil. That was my problem when my starter was doing this.
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1971 Transporter w/rack and ladder
1600 DP
Full fill

[Skiingnick]

Sounds like a couple of the teeth on the starting ring of the fly wheel may have busted off. If you put it in gear, let the parking brake off, rock the bus so it turns the engine slighty, take it out of gear and then try starting, it should work.
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1968 Westy - stock except for discs and dellorto's

"Please don't dominate the rap Jack, if you've got nothing new to say" - New Speedway Boogie.

[fstbckgt]

i just bought the bus and the previous owner said he just installed a new starter, im gonna assume its somewhere in the wiring, I hope

[Skiingnick]

The problem isn't with the starter. If it's spinning when you turn the key, it can't really be an electrical problem. When you turn the key, the starter turns and connects with the starting ring on the flywheel. It any teeth have been broken off this, the starter will just turn freely. By doing what I said above, you turn the flywheel slightly to where there are teeth so when you next turn the key, the starter should connect and turn the engine. I used to have this problem on my bug.

Try what I said and see if it works.
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1968 Westy - stock except for discs and dellorto's

"Please don't dominate the rap Jack, if you've got nothing new to say" - New Speedway Boogie.

[busdaddy]

Or it could be the bendix is stripped or the solenoid is sticky, before you go panicing over a flywheel take the starter to a rebuild shop and have it tested.
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[prairie_vw]

[420GOAT]

its probably just loose.
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[Desertbusman]

What you describe is what happens when the starter drive gear doesn't extend and engage the flywheel. That's the function of the starter drive, Bendixand solenoid like Bus Daddy say's.
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71 Superbug
71 Westy

[TimGud]

Sounds like a bad starter solenoid.

[fstbckgt]

[SGKent]

you either have a bad bendix gear or missing teeth on the flywheel OR the starter is misaligned and doesn't always engage because of it.

You need to pull the starter and turn the engine over by hand while looking at the flywheel until it goes around once. If there are missing teeth then it is the flywheel. If there are no missing teeth then look to the bendix gear and solenid first. The bendix pushes the starter teeth out into the flywheel and pulls them back when done.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin