Club 80-90 Forums

Not as in an increase in temp. but as in the bypassing of the key method of starting. Over the past week, I have tried to start the van, turned the key, lights come on but nothing happens at the engine end. Return the key to 0 and have another go - always starts as normal. Has been like this all week, not always failing but frequently needing that second attempt. Toady, I needed to go out and it totally failed, many turns of the key, all the lights on as normal but it wouldn't start the starter. In a flurry, I unscrewed the steering cowling and pulled the multiplug of the ignition barrel and pushed it back on - the van started.

My only reason for looking at the ignition is that 'itchyfeet' said that it maywell need replacing after I told him of the symptoms. Have been about all afternoon, several little trips where I have to start - stop - start the van, it's been ok since my little fiddle.

The multiplug was firmly located, not loose. I've left the cowling off as next time it happens I'd like to bridge the contacts aka 'Hot wiring!!!', to confirm if this is the root of the problem. However, I would like to know which of the wires I need to bridge to simulate the contact being made by the key. I looke at the pretty lines in the wiring section of the Haynes manual.........................................baffled!!

If someone could shed a little light I'd be very grateful.

Mitch.

People may be a bit wary about publishing online the wire colours/method to hotwire

I haven't actually had my steering column plastics off to have a look, but there's probably only 3 contacts... The two key turns and an earth. Have you considered using a continuity (ohm) meter on the contacts and turn the key to see which wire is for which contact?

Hope this helps,

Richard

Sounds like a knackered ignition switch. Mine behaved erratically like yours on my previous van and packed up in the end. They are not expensive and easy to get hold of. Brickwerks have one for about £10 but it says T4, but does work with other VAG vehicles. I suggest you e-mail them and ask them if it works with a T3. I think you can get cheaper ones elsewhere, but I would stick with them if it's the right one.

Patrick

Mine does the same thing sometimes... the lights always come on but it doesn't always start, I sometimes have to turn the key off and on again... always starts second/third time though.

I haven't had a proper look yet, I was thinking maybe the starter solenoid not kicking in, but saying that... I can't hear the motor spinning. It's most likely the switch like yours

what2d I have a switch here , PM me your address and I'll stick it in the post, keep it in the glovebox until you get time to fit it and put your spurs away

Save yourself the postage Paul, in the near future I'd quite like to visit again for another educational 'show and tell'!!!

You have PM.

what2d wrote:Save yourself the postage Paul, in the near future I'd quite like to visit again for another educational 'show and tell'!!!

You have PM.

If it is the starter switch you probably won't get to visit. I suggest you sort it sooner rather than later. Mine started playing up and packed up in two days on holiday in France.

WHS^^^ it will let you down when you most need it, don't worry about postage you can pay me back with plumbing advice!

AHHHHHHHH!

Itchyfeet pm'd me with what he thought were the hotwiring instructions but it doesn't appear to work for me. This may indicate that the problem lays elsewhere - any thoughts?

Is it possible that someone whom may be online at the moment could pm with what they believe is required to hotwire my van please. Just spent 10 minutes fiddling, hitting, etc. before it actually turned over - Still to do this afternoon, collect my sons, take them to the dentist and then run them to the hairdressers, hence, a lot of stop starting. Somewhat desperate at the moment.

Cheers, mitch.

just hotwired mine with the method I gave you,I will send you a pic of the link wire.

If thats not working then you need to check the trigger wire spade connection and earths, I assume the dash lights up?

Grrrrrr, intermittent faults!

Thanks to Paul's (itchyfeet) patience, I'm in less of a desperate situation than I was previously. Got my 'hotwire' loop sorted whilst I await a parcel from Brickwerks. There's always hope whilst there's a forum!!!!!


God bless you all............................yuck, that sounds soooo American lol.

Also had a look at the trigger wire spade connector, despite appearing fine and feeling solid, when I stipped 10-12mm of sheathing from the wire, the opper strands were blackened (not sooty, just discoloured). Cut it off and stripped another 10mm, same again, tried for a 3rd time, still the same but I didn't wish to shorten the trigger wire too much so I just cleaned the copper with a soft wire brush and recrimped it.
Huge improvement, the ignition works first time for 90% of the time. Despite this, the ignition is still number one suspect. Expecting a new one from BW any day now.

Little update.

Replaced ignition with a new one (obviously a new one!), cleaned gearbox earth, battery earth, the earth by coil, applied copious amounts of vaseline (other brands of petroleum jelly are available!!!!). Huge improvement, but still, just now and again it fails to turn immediately on the first turn of the key, no where near as problematic as it has been in the past though. I have learned that when it fails to turn over, if I keep the key in the 'start' position, ie. turn and hold it there, the starter operates normally - bizarre.

I'd like it to 'fail' completely so that I could (advised by itchyfeet) physically hold the trigger wire against the starter (I think that's what he said!!!) to see what happens, thus ruling out the solenoid. But, of course, that's not going to happen until it's pitch black and freezing next winter.

In short, all is well for the time being but I will try and pick up a second hand starter for that eventual rainy day.

Have you tried spraying a bit of electrical contact cleaner in the ignition barrel? or even some WD 40? might be worth a go.

@Bishop, it's a brand new ignition barrel so, I'm assuming that the chances are pretty slim that the source of the problem is that. Remaining possibilites are located within the starter ie. connecting earth, solenoid dodgy???, the bush or a winding. Who knows - if I wanted reliability I would have gone Japanese lol. Cheers.