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Paulbeard
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015
Posts: 2604
Location: Seattle
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 Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:03 pm Post subject: Electrical/starting weirdness |
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Backstory: I drove from Seattle to Butte Monday one day last summer around this time of year. Had several no starts which I attributed to the motor getting too hot. No idea where I came up with that…
Fast forward a year and had it happen yesterday but without driving at highway speed across eastern WA under a heat dome. I decided to try what I later realized I should have last year has test the ignition switch. Started right up. Just went out after an all-night cooldown and put the OG switch back and again, started right up.
When I say no start, I mean no "on," no fuel pump priming, no nothing. Not just no crank, nothing.
So what gives, cognoscenti? The switch itself is overheating from the rigor passing the "on" current to the motor? I swore I would never replace another ignition switch after the last one (I think I have done 3 in 7 years) and I don't plan to renege on that. This switch is good so I am not at that point yet. But I am curious about what could be happening.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
— dhaavers |
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DuncanS
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2013
Posts: 4583
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:40 pm Post subject: Re: Electrical/starting weirdness |
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Relay-relay-relay
Duncan |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6361
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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1988M5
Samba Member
Joined: January 23, 2016
Posts: 674
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:52 pm Post subject: Re: Electrical/starting weirdness |
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It could be all kinds of things but a simple battery post (slightly and not visible) corrosion can often cause this symptom. Bust out the wire wheel and clean all you can.
A voltmeter and a voltage drop test would solve this mystery in minuets. Guys please learn how to do a volt drop test and more importantly understand why it is so necessary to get to the bottom of the problem fast. Electrical gremlins don't have any attitude or feelings, they just do what they are asked and designed to do. Make sure your van is asking the right things and see (test) if the circuit reacts as expected.
Cheers,
BK
PS dielectric grease is not helpful while diagnosing, contact betterment is. Get it fixed and working 1st then worry about future reliability. https://caig.com/deoxit-d-series/
_________________
1991 tin top GL
2002 Winnebago Vista. VW VR6 24V Eurovan front clip powered class C 21' RV.
Some BMWs. |
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ndorian
Samba Member
Joined: June 23, 2018
Posts: 760
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2022 7:00 pm Post subject: Re: Electrical/starting weirdness |
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| Something similar happened to me. I spent a couple of weeks buying ignition switches and new battery and starter to finally figure out the a previous owner had spliced the wire going from the battery to the black box in the engine compartment. The splice had burnt up nicely by the time I found it. Good luck. Solving these can be a rite of passage. |
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