starter inconsistency

[Max Wellhouse]

Also check ground connections, clean all of them and especially 
battery and starter/alternator connections.  dielectric grease them 
too or what ever witch's brew you choose.  Another possibility is the 
ignition switch behind the key lock.  They're pretty cheap 
IIRC.  Another possibility is checking the voltage you're getting 
from the black wire on the ignition switch to where the black wire 
attaches to the coil.  On my Vanagon(really long battery cable!), I 
checked voltage from battery to alternator and saw a drop to 10.2 
when the starter kicked in.  Now I need to find the culprit ground or 
old wire that's costing me the voltage.

Another possibility is doing the solenoid jump a la the John Muir VW 
book from the early 70's.  A temporary fix for an aging solenoid, but 
worth the $15 in parts to make it work.

YMMV

DM&FS

At 03:10 PM 12/17/2007, Huw Powell wrote:


> > Saturday a.m., when our ambient temperatures were in the low single
> > digits, I went to start our 200q20v avant and only heard a click.
> > Sounded like the starter solenoid click...  Today I just decided to
> > try it. Started right up.  Restarted a bit later OK too.
> >
> > So is it the starter on its last legs or bad wiring?  Would the cold
> >  affect the wiring or is it more likely old, dried lube inside the
> > starter?
>
>Could have been the cold; could be the starter on its way out.  If it's
>the starter, carry a hammer to rap it if it doesn't kick in.  Until you
>get a new one.
>
>If it doesn't occur again, it might just have been the cold.  But I
>doubt it.
>
>I'm currently running a pair of "lifetime warranty" starters I got at
>VIP for about $100 each.  One went wacky after a few years and they
>replaced it for free without arguing (though I had to wait for it to
>come in).  They even had a computer record of the purchases.
>
>--
>Huw Powell
>
>http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi
>
>http://www.humanthoughts.org/
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