Club 80-90 Forums

1.9 dg 1989 van wont start.
Turn the key soleniod clicks. New starter and battery fitted.
Sometimes it turns over but sometimes you turn the key and the soleniod clicks but van doesnt turn over.
But cant get it to fire.
Any suggestions

Is the battery charged? Is the alternator working okay and keeping the battery charged?

Are all the electrical contacts good? Battery earth points and positive contacts on battery to starter and from starter to alternator.

Is there a good connection between the starter switch and the starter solenoid?

Basically you need to check electrical connections and measure voltages to find the fault.

I had a similar problem on mine with a cheap starter motor from VW Heritage. It just needed bucket loads of juice. Switched to an OEM part from euro car parts and wired straight off the exciter on the starter via a button and this seems to have fixed the issue


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When it turns over, does it sound lazy, or does it have a healthy fast turnover sound?

Ru,,,,,,,,,,,,Ru,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Ru,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Ru,

or

Ra,Ra,Ra,Ra,Ra,Ra,Ra,Ra,

In words

Best description ever John. Forget the techno-babble, tell it how it is.

Sounds fine when its turning over. But after you have turned it over and it''s failed and you try again you hear the soleniod click in but nothing after then leave it 5 mins and then it will work again. How can i test for a good spark

Have just picked up my Caravelle 2.1 l petrol from mechanic after having starting problems for over a year and culminating with a dangerous break down on the m3 ...

Anyway he changed Distributor Cap,Filter, the injection relays and main relays...the fuel pump and pressure were okay.

However we noticed the earth from the ECU behind the rear nearside headlamp was not earthed.....he earthed it and this seems to have been the problem.

Hope this helps.

Well i took air filter off and it is full of oil! Breather hose flatttened. I sprayed alot of flammable fluid in the carb and went to start and it nearly did.

Repeat the excercise, a little petrol down carb throat, it'll run maybe for a few seconds then die, another splash of petrol and try to start again. Repeat until it runs on its own. It will