TULZ - Part Eleven
Veeduber
CLICK!
You jump in, pump the accelerator pedal a few times, even though you
know it sez to only press it down once. (More is better, right?) You turn
the key and… CLICK.
The moment of Truth has arrived.
If you're late for class or work or whatever, when you hear the Big
CLICK! the wiser course is to IMMEDIATELY fall back on your
alternative means of transportation. And if you ain't got one perhaps you
should think about that.
Your second alternative is to push-start it. But there's more involved
here than just starting the engine. First, you gotta know HOW to push-
start it. Second, you gotta be fairly sure the problem is not a dead
battery. Did the warning lights come on? That means you got juice but it
doesn't tell you how much. Got headlights? Then the battery is probably
okay and you're Go for the Push-Start Follies. But before you start
pushing, think. Wherez your tools? The odds are, it's not going to start
after you get to wherever it is you're going, either. The Big Click is fair
evidence you've got repairs ahead of you. If the vehicle is already home
with your tools, hoof it.
A push-start may get you to where you're going. Or it may not. What if it
dies in traffic? And if it doesn't you're still going to have to push it again
to get home so that means you need to park it someplace where push-
starting is practical. Can you be sure of finding such a place?
Remember the Unholy Trinity of maintenance? You need the tools, the
skills and a place to work. If you KNOW your ride needs fixen, taking it
AWAY from your tools with the notion of getting around to the work later
is stacking the odds against you.
So you're at work or school or whatever and you gotta get home
because that's where all your tulz are, and the battery is up and the thing
was running okay the last time it ran and you're parked in a place that
will allow you to do a push-start, go ahead. But you need to know HOW
to do a push-start.
PUSH-START, HOW-TO
Brake is OFF. Lean into it, get it rolling, jump in, turning on the key and
putting it into FIRST GEAR at the same time as you pop the clutch. That
is, let the clutch out SUDDENLY then push it right back in. When
multiplied by the gearing, a walking pace is fast enough to cause the
engine to rotate one or more full revolutions, which means at least TWO
cylinders will have a chance to fire. If the engine is in a good state of
tune, that's all it takes.
Once it fires, baby it; keep the thing running until it warms up and idles
sweet, because you don't want it dying on you in traffic.
THINK ABOUT IT
Odds are, if you've never push-started your vehicle, it won't start the first
time you try it. Push-starting by yourself calls for a fair degree of
strength and coordination. The lesson here is pretty simple: The best
time to learn how to do a push-start when you DON'T need it; when your
ride is running. So go PRACTICE. Find yourself an empty parking lot
and TEACH YOURSELF how to get your vehicle running without using
the starter. Back in Part Eight I suggested you teach yourself how to
drive without using the clutch. Learning how to start your engine without
using the starter falls into the same category of Get Home skills.
When push-starting your ride here's some tricks that will help. Pump
your tires up. That will make it roll a lot easier. Get your engine in
perfect tune. Set the static firing point closer to TDC or even a couple of
degrees AFTER top dead center. You can't drive it with that setting but it
will start and idle a lot easier. And if you have a dynamic timing light it's
a simple matter to reset the timing once you get it running. Don't leave
the key on too long. You need the choke for it to start and the choke is
electric. If you leave the key on and the choke will eventually move to
the off position even if the engine isn't running.
FIXING THE BIG CLICK
The CLICK itself is your main clue. It tells you power is getting to the
solenoid. At that point the decision tree branches. Either the contact bar
in the solenoid is worn or corroded or otherwise damaged so that it is not
capable of doing its job (which is to connect the battery to the starter) or
the solenoid isn't getting enough power to press the contact bar closed.
There are some variations on this theme but they have different
signatures. For example, CLICK! Whirrrr… means the pinion isn't
engaging the flywheel whereas CLICK! Groannn… means the pinion is
binding or the engine is seized or one of half a dozen other things.
The above should make it pretty clear that diagnosis is based on a
complete understanding of how the system operates. It should also
serve to illustrate that diagnosis reflects a decision tree.
If you'll examine the workshop manual for any modern vehicle you find it
is largely devoted to depictions of the diagnostic decision tree in
schematic format. You'll also see that virtually no space is given to
telling you HOW to do the mechanical aspects of the repair. Instead,
they tell you how to do the various diagnostic tests. When it comes
down to R&R, the removal & repair (or replacement) of the component,
the manuals assume you know how. Indeed, the WRENCHING is the
easy part. The hard part is knowing what to wrench and you can only
learn that by starting with the basics and working your way up, which is
why I suggested you begin with a lawnmower engine. But that's too
much trouble, right? Especially when you can jump on the Internet and
take a poll as to why your wheel just fell off. Unfortunately mediocrity
can never rise above itself. A majority of unskilled mechanics will always
give you an unskilled answer. (For every two hundred people who read
this, only one will understand. So be it. Right now we're trying to get
your bug started so let's get on with it :-)
The Big Click sez the problem is either in the solenoid or that insufficient
power is getting to the solenoid. We can test for the latter by using a
jumper cable from the battery lead to the spade lug on the solenoid,
thereby eliminating about twenty feet of wiring and the possibility of a
bad ignition switch. But let me tell you right now this is a very dangerous
test. It should only be done when the vehicle is supported on jackstands.
Why? Because the engine is liable to start. And if it does, it's liable to
run over your ass.
So leave the key OFF. That will prevent power from going to the ignition
circuit. Better yet, pull the HV lead out of the coil. Then do the test. If
you don't know which lead goes to the battery, use your manual to figure
it out. And if your solenoid is the later model with the two spade lugs,
figure out which one goes to the ignition switch.
Back in Part Four I suggested you make up some test leads, including
some with spade-lug connectors. This is a good time to use one.
Detach the starter-switch lead from the solenoid and replace it with a
jumper having a female spade-lug connector on one end and an alligator
clip on the other. To complete the circuit, TOUCH (do NOT clip) the
alligator clip to the battery cable connector. Do NOT touch the copper
stud nor the nut. The arc is enough to damage the threads of the stud
and will bugger the nut when you try to remove it.
IF the jumper test causes the starter to engage and to crank the engine
then the problem is in the wiring or the ignition switch, with the higher
probability for the latter. There is an interesting history to this particular
problem.
The starter solenoid needs about ten amperes to pull-in but only about
an amp to hold-in. This is not uncommon and is a characteristic of
solenoids. Your ignition coil is also a solenoid-wound inductor and it too
has a high inrush current. Unfortunately, the VW ignition switch is only
good for about eight amps (!) whereas the inrush current when you try to
start the engine EXCEEDS the safe current carrying capacity of the
switch meaning it's going to go bad, sooner or later. Bosch recognized
this and came up with a simple fix, a pilot relay that mounts on the
solenoid. The Bosch part number is WR-1 and the whole thing only
costs a few bucks.
What the pilot relay does is to use about a quarter of an amp to connect
the solenoid directly to the battery, eliminating the need to run that
momentary jolt of ten amps through the ignition switch. Well designed
and easy to install, the pilot relay will eliminate a host of starter problems
on Volkswagens, especially on the Transporter which has longer wiring
runs and therefore more loses.
Unfortunately, 'way back when, Muir and other experts told all the kiddies
to use a Ford contactor as a pilot relay. The joke here is that the Ford
contactor pulls almost as much current as the Bosch solenoid!
A pilot relay is a good idea. Bosch dealers sell them as do a few VW
dealers. Berg recently rediscovered them after years of selling the Ford
contactor. Or you can make your own. A horn or headlight relay works
fine and the installation procedure has been posted to the Internet on
numerous occasions. Check the various archives.
If the jumper test didn't help then you've narrowed the problem down to
the solenoid. Fortunately, the fix is pretty simple. Start by removing the
battery from the vehicle, then remove the starter, dismantle the solenoid
and file the contactor and contacts smooth. You'll need to unsolder a
couple of leads to dismantle the solenoid. Use a bit of Solder Wick to get
the solder out of the holes. When you reassemble the solenoid be VERY
SURE to use RTV or other WATERPROOF sealant.
The 'Idiot' book covers starter problems rather well and certainly justifies
your study. But DON'T use that ohsokewl trick of shorting the terminals
with a screwdriver. Yeah, it works. It also damages the terminals as well
as the screwdriver.
Next time you go to replace the battery cable you discover the threads
on the solenoid are buggered all to hell; the nut won't come off (or it
shears the copper stud). You can't get a die onto them, even if you had
the proper die [which you don't] and you can't remove the old cable. You
have to remove the entire starter and chase the damaged threads with a
sixty-degree vee-file [see a set of Swiss pattern-maker's files]. That is,
assuming the threads aren't buggered too badly. But if you've done that
ohsokewl Idiot Trick more than a couple of times, forget; you'll have to
buy a new solenoid. Swell idea, eh?
In the same vein, DON'T go pounding on the solenoid with a hammer.
Yeah, this also works. And damages the solenoid in the process.
The usual reason for a solenoid to stick is due to rust on the plunger.
The proper fix is to remove the starter, dismantle the solenoid and DEAL
WITH THE RUST. If you just pound on the thing you might jar the
plunger loose… and you might night. The odds are about 50-50. And of
course, you'll only hear about the successful tries.
A basic tenet of a good mechanic is to do no greater harm. The 'Idiot'
book is larded with procedures that damage the vehicle. Once you've
buggered an axle nut or starter stud don't expect to find a mechanic to
save your bacon. Competent mechanics usually refuse to work on a
vehicle that shows obvious signs of abuse since they can be held liable
for future failures even if they didn't work on that particular component. It
isn't fair and it certainly isn't logical but when our nation's President, who
happens to be an attorney, doesn't know the difference between a
blowjob and a hand shake, it's easy to see how such bullshit comes
about. Idiot book indeed.
THE BIG NO-CLICK
You jump in your ride, turn the key and… You turn the key and… eh?
Nothing. Well, mebbe something. Mebbe the indicator lights came on.
Or mebbe not.
The Big Click is pretty easy to diagnose but the Big No-Click can be a
worse headache because of the lack of data. No click means no juice
getting to the solenoid… mebbe.
No click and no indicator lights is pretty good evidence you're not getting
any juice. The first thing you need to find out is if you got any juice to
get. Try your headlights. Bright? Normal? Then you can probably rule
out the battery. But no lights doesn't mean the opposite, it simply means
no juice is getting to the lights; the battery could be just fine. So you
start
from Ground Zero and begin climbing the diagnostic decision tree.
Ground Zero is your battery and cables. And one of those cables is the
ground strap on the nose of the tranny.
The Main Electrical Buss runs from the starter to the battery. That's why
it's there; the battery's primary purpose is to start the engine. All else,
from your ignition system and electric lights to your bitchin' sound system
came along later. (Early cars used magnetos and were started with a
crank. If you wanted to drive at night there were acetylene lamps, some
of which were brighter than any headlight you've ever seen. And if you
wanted a bitchin' sound system you hired the band :-) When it comes to
the battery and cables there really isn't much to diagnose. The terminals
must be clean, tight and free of corrosion. The cable must be
undamaged with no sign of corrosion at the fittings. The grommets
isolating the cable from the chassis must be in good condition.
If your electrical system fails this very basic inspection, deal with it!
Neutralize any rust you find and put down an anti-corrosion pad under
the battery. Clean the terminals down to bright metal, put anti-corrosion
pads under the terminals and install new cables with suitably fitted
terminals. Once everything is tight, give them a spritz of anti-corrosion
spray (I use that purple stuff). Where the ground lead is bolted to the
chassis, eliminate any rust or corrosion then put a light coating of
copper-based anti-sieze where the fitting will be bolted down. Thereafter
your only maintenance is periodic inspection and cleaning.
The Distribution Buss is a heavy red wire that runs from the battery
cable-solenoid junction to the fuse block via the headlight switch. The
ignition, starter solenoid and indicator lamps are not fused and pick their
power directly from the headlight switch via the ignition switch.
You can track the path of the circuits using your timing light. In most
cases of the Big No-Click the fault will be in the headlight switch or the
ignition switch and the repair is to replace the switch. But in some cases
you can track the active circuit all the way back to the solenoid only to
discover it is bad. (This is where Muir brings out his hammers. Resist
the impulse.)
Now you got a major problem because you can't repair the winding of a
Bosch solenoid, you've got to replace it. Unfortunately, a new solenoid,
assuming you can find one, will cost over a hundred dollars. So you start
hitting the junkies, trying to find a replacement starter which, by custom,
comes with the solenoid attached. (In the mid-1950's I push-started my
bug for a YEAR because I couldn't afford a replacement starter only to
discover the problem was the solenoid. Live & lurn :-)
The electrical routing above is valid for about eighteen million
Volkswagens. I don't have a lot of experience with later models but the
same principles of diagnosis will apply. See your manual for your
particular vehicle's wiring diagram, which you should study until you can
draw it from memory. And if that sounds a bit much, it's not. There are
common elements to all automotive electrical systems. Once you've
learned one it will serve as the foundation on which to learn others
PREVENTION vs CURE
Your electrical system is one of the easiest parts of the vehicle to
maintain. It has very few moving parts and its operation is governed by
only a few basic principles. Once you've mastered them the system has
no secrets.
Certain types of electrical system problems having to do with the AGE of
your ride are becoming more common. They involve the grounding
circuit. Using the steel body of the vehicle as one side of the electrical
circuit is common automotive practice and typically causes no problems.
But after a quarter-century or so the dissimilar metal junction between
the electrical connector and the steel body can create a barrier having a
high resistance. This is especially critical with regard to your headlights
and tail lights.
Owners of vehicles having a six-volt electrical system often convert to
twelve-volts because their headlights have dimmed down to a yellow
glow. It comes as quite a surprise to find their new 12v system doesn't
do any better. The truth is, a six-volt headlight is just as bright as a 12v
headlight. The problem is not a lack of voltage but an excess of
resistance, typically in the grounding circuit. Repair usually requires no
more than dismantling and cleaning.
Add this to your warbag: Never pound on a battery's terminals. You'll
break the seal between the terminal and the case and the electrolyte will
wick through the crack. Always use acid neutralizing pads, the big kind
for under the battery and the small circular jobbies under the battery
terminals. NEVER slosh your battery with a mixture of water & baking
soda. It will get inside the battery (see above; cracks worth in both
directions) and ruin the end cells. If your cables are corroded, replace
them. When replacing a cable ream the terminal to a perfect fit on the
battery posts. Add the little tool for this job to your electrical kit.
Batteries are heavy and inherently dangerous. Get yourself a battery
carrier and use it. Keep it in your electrical kit. Ditto for the little can
of
anti-corrosion spray. Make it a habit to REMOVE THE BATTERY any
time you work on the vehicle. Not only does this prevent accidents, it
gives you a chance to inspect the battery. When the battery is out of the
vehicle, put a board or piece of cardboard across it; you don't want
anything to short across the posts. (I know a kid who lost a finger when
his wedding ring completed the circuit across a fully charged battery.)
-Bob Hoover
-22 May 2K
John Willis
Thanks for the reminder on wiring and its importance in actually
making the car go. I was unaware of how to go about actually
re-conditioning the starter solinoid, never having encountered that
particular problem on any of my cars, but at least now I know!
Having encountered the CLICK and the NO-CLICK malfunctions in the
past, I enjoyed your reprise and relived many frustrating hours (now
with a grin as opposed to a grimace). I learned long ago that if you
are going to enjoy driving old cars that you need at least two of
them, if not more. A lesson I take very much to heart, as my wife
will attest as she is now benifiting from my prediliction toward
collecting things, including cars (she abused hers to the point of
major engine repair and is now driving, as a back up 'till repairs on
hers can be finished, the first car I ever bought! But I am
monitoring the health of my car very closely, lest it become as hers!)
Again, many thanks,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John Willis
jdwi...@airmail.net