van has been great. Starter motor has been rebuilt and haven’t had any issues for a few months. Been using it this weekend and now won’t start. Battery is fine. Lights etc work and fuel pump is working just no start? Please help we hand over house tomorrow and need to sort tonight
Give the solenoid (little round thing on top of starter) a thump whilst key is in start position. Cheers
Ensure battery connection's and cable connections on solenoid are good. Give them a small twist and ensure tight. Ensure all earth straps not corroded and connections good. Assume starter rebuilt properly. ie new cap / contacts, brushes, bushes, field windings checked, commutator cleaned, new shaft bush in bell housing. If all above checked , try a jumper to spade connection( ignition switch wire) on starter solenoid cap across to positive on starter battery. ENSURE out of gear , handbrake on, ign OFF.
Yeah man done that and it started. Guts me as I had it rebuilt like 2mths ago and after 10am tomorrow we were suppose to be living the van life. Would you think the local guy who rebuilt it would have a warranty?
It wasn’t starting without tapping. Tightened bolts as suggested by someone on FB and it now starts without tapping. Fingers crossed it starts tomorrow morning
Poor contacts inside cap and low voltage within either electrical circuit will give same symptom. If cap looks new it likely replaced on rebuild. I have had a brand new solenoid fail within a week. Ensuring good connections will make a dodgy old cap work for a bit more but a failing new unit needs replacing . Would be a warranty job. If you get stuck , jumper leads can be used ti assist the earth and pos cables. Then use a small jumper to the spade/ ign terminal. Test voltage at spade / ign terminal on solenoid while operating via key. Do you have a hot start relay? It may have been fitted due to dodgy solenoid, starter or ign switch. If you have one then the test at spade terminal should show a good 12V. If no relay then the ign V could be the issue. Just one of a few options. Even tho the tightening of terminals has improved condition at mo the system could be marginal in a few other areas. Check and clean in a logical fashion thru the circuit. Pay particular ATTN to earth straps from bogy ti gearbox. Any corrosion in the webbing type often increases resistance enough to give problems. Add a big jumper lead used for jump starting cars to test . Or just replace. A common issue.
If you're going to replace the starter, use a Wosp - from JK. Hi torque starters made for specific kombi models.......highly recommended. Cheers, Mark
I put a hi torque starter in my 1303 a while ago. A big benefit was that it was “bushless” as in it didn’t require the bush in the gearbox.
Can show the no start without tap 'randomly' for a long time until the thump doesn't work any more (then hill needed) I got 2 years out of one just with the occasional thumping encouragement. Cheers & happy travels
Just read your original post and what I have said So my question is - did you replace the gear box bushing? If not - 99% that is the issue
Thanks everyone. Looks like it was a bolt on the starter motor that had come loose. Tightened it up and stars no worries.