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Automatic Car... How to solve a problem

Cool, Pat.
I love the thrill of victory.
Even someone else's.

Larry
sandiego16v
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Patrick Bureau 
  To: 'Scirocco List' 
  Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 6:40 PM
  Subject: Automatic Car... How to solve a problem


  So yesterday, a frantic young 22 year old that borrow my wife's car for a
  trip to Tulsa Oklahoma is calling me... " the car will not starrrrrrrt "
  So after chatting with her, she tries it one more time and luckily enough it
  does turn over and start , telling her to not turn it off until she gets
  back to her place, which she does and her trip finishes without a problem.

  This morning... Put key in car... Nothing... Ni click, got lights and power
  , 12.5v on the battery, but refuses to crank over, so I dolly its lazy arse
  back to the farm, I stop by AutoZone that identified the battery after using
  their gismo tester machine that load it, that the battery has more than
  likely a bad cell... So the battery is marked 4 years ago, cant hurt, slap a
  new battery in... Turn key... Nothing... 

  So I grab the Bentley and test the ignition switch, well after the 4 simple
  continuity test they tell me to do, conclusion.. Its not the ignition switch
  the problem..

  So.. Since the "start my car systems" are simple.. And by using deduction, I
  decided to go to the last obvious location to check, the starter... Easy
  enough to check if it is itself or the solenoid still good (because anyone
  that has an automatic KNOWS they are a bitch to take off and change!). Find
  the starter harness, and VW has a nice little connection right there.. Wire
  it to the battery... And the engine starts cranking at proper speed.
  Conclusion # 3.. The starter is still good.

  My fear getting worse by the minute I run the fact in my head, the battery,
  the switch the starter.. Was else could it be but the WIRING.. Arrrrrgggggh
  I scream... The gremlins have gotten possession of my cabriolet.....

  This is the TIME for you guys still reading this epic story to realize when
  all else fails in your step by step home troubleshooting.. Have a beer.. And
  if smoke... Time to light up... Sit by the side of the car... And think....
  Why do I do this to myself... Why get .. Such an old car with all the usual
  problems they all get... And always at one point to become wiring
  gremlins..... 

  <insert pause as my VW local mechanic drops buy to give me back a borrow
  fuel pump he needed to trouble shoot a client's of his cabriolet...>

  Jaime! Have a beer.... Thanks Pat, so what the problem with the cabby he
  asks...<insert explanation written above>

  He smile and goes, do you have some wire and a 40a relay... Sure I reply and
  fetch the stuff...

  Sipping my bear he builds a Starter solenoid relay, as he explains (and
  people that have already done they euro light with relays will understand
  this bit) The wiring is too old and the starter tries to draw too much
  amperage on the skinny wire leading to and front the ignition switch,
  usually the switch dies first (and I promptly tell him that the PO had just
  changed it a few weeks ago),... So he built a relay, connected for power
  directly to the battery, and used the ignition wire, and patched the relay
  wires to it.. Fixed a little bracket with it.... And were done in 20 mins.

  He smiles... There all fixed..... No more problems, being skeptical, I pause
  and have another beer and a smoke...(watching someone fix your car is
  tiresome buisiness yanno?) He chuckles and looks at me.. So you aint going
  to start her up.....?

  I reach for the key... And "Half-Pint, as my wife calls it" turns right over
  and starts...

  Cost.. Humm 6 beers... 1 hr of troubleshooting and 15 mins of making a relay
  for the starter.

  It WAS a good day in Dallas today....

  -
  ATS - Patrick Bureau - http://ats.longcoeur.com - 
  A1 eBay Sales: http://tinyurl.com/22e5b
  '85 3A/JH 2L Scirocco | '86 8v Restore Project (in progress) 
  '82 1.7L project |'81 S Project | '78 GTi 8v Project 



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