Re: Intermittent non-starting

["Gary G. Erickson" <erickson@teleport.com>]

Phil Payne wrote:
 
> Roger Galvin's MB has taken to intermittent non-starting - there
> isn't even a click from the solenoid.  The starter has been swapped
> with another of his quattro fleet, and the problem persists.  Mostly
> happens when hot.
> 
> I'm starting to point the Fickle Finger of Furtiveness at the ignition
> switch.  Has anyone else had this, and what was the fix?

Phil,

I've went through this on my old '80 4ks.  The problem is that as the
wiring in the car ages, that little 24 AWG (or whatever damn tiny size
it is!) can't carry enough current to trip the solenoid when it's hot.

My first solution was to install a relay that was tripped by that
trigger wire and drew power from the direct battery feed to in order to
activate the solenoid.  This fix lasted about 18 months until the wire
deteriorated to the point that it wouldn't even trip the relay.

At that point I simply ran a new wire from the ignition switch to the
aforementioned relay and it kept the car starting until it met it's
demise at the front of a GMC pickemup about a year later.

HTH,

Gary

'85 turbo Coupe GT
'84 4kq (aka RattleTrap)