[FC] re: Starter issues

[Bill Wells]

Folks,
   
  From the description below, it just sounds like a weak solenoid. Corrosion or a bad winding or lots of resistance in the ignition switch or the big purple wire to the solenoid.
   
  Thanks,
  Bill Wells
   
  From: Charles 
  To: The Corvanatics list 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 12:40 AM
  Subject: Re: [FC] Starter issues


  Ok, so it's like this:

  Engine off, ignition off, van stationary. Transmission in neutral 
(also 
  depress clutch pedal out of habit), turn ignition on and the starter 
  spins but does not engage (can also engage momentarily and then 
  disengage). Now turn off the ignition and put transmission into any 
gear 
  and foot off clutch pedal. I don't have to be on a grade, I can 
actually 
  simply lurch my body forward in the seat enough to slightly budge the 
  van. This movement would only put a ripple in a cup of water. Now put 
in 
  neutral and depress clutch pedal and turn ignition on to fire the 
  starter and voila - proper engagement. Not 1005 effective but enough 
to 
  surmise that it is most definitely changing something.

  I'm convinced it is the starter itself but I don't know to what 
extent. 
  The main question for me is the peculiarity of why the weight 
shifting 
  would make any difference. As I mentioned, I am somewhat mechanically 
  challenged and not entirely clear on all of the operational 
parameters 
  of a starter unit. I think I know what's going on but takes way too 
many 
  words to explain. Briefly, the starter's drive gear (the one which 
  drives the ring gear on the pressure plate) is not being thrown into 
  drive position with enough force. For what reason I don't yet know 
but 
  this would fit with most of the possible theories which have been 
suggested.

  I'd like to thank everyone for helping out with this as it has been a 
  puzzler for me. It's too cold here right now to remove the starter 
for 
  diagnosis but I'll post the results as soon as they are revealed.

  - Charles

		
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