Trouble Starting 86 Vanagon

[Anonymous]

Having trouble starting my bus.  The engine cranks but won't turn over and I smell gas.<br><br>I got a new battery in June, and it has been running great, but  stalling out this week.  Each time I smelled gas.  Now it just won't start.  Any ideas?<br><br>Hoping to go on vacation next week up to New Brunswick, so hopefully this isn't a big deal.

[Anonymous]

did you check for spark<br><br>clean and tighten all grounds.

[Anonymous]

I'm sort of illiterate when it comes to engines, so I haven't checked for a spark and don't really know how to.  <br><br>What do you mean "clean all grounds."  Sorry, I need a little education on this.  Do you know if there's a user friendly guide for these things?  Maybe a VW Bus for Idiots or something like that?<br><br>I'd like to be able to take care of these problems myself, rather than hauling it to a garage all the time.  Any advice would be helpful.  Thanks.<br><br>-Peter

[Anonymous]

peter that book is for the pre 79<br><br>but you can buy a bently repair manual.also you can get a early learners book on car care.<br>but grounds are the return paths of elecricity<br>what you will be looking for any wires that bolt or screw directly to the body and engine / trans<br><br>clean the "ground "on the battery side also that will have a negitive symbol.<br><br>now for spark . that is the main electric pulse of 50,000 volts that will go to the spark plug.<br><br>to check for spark pull the main wire off the center of the distributor and hold it next to the engine NOT on the engine but a little distance about 1/4 of a inch a way<br>have some one turn the key to the start and see if the is any sharp spark from the wire to the engine. if there is no spark than we will need to check the bentley .

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your help.  If it weren't for people like you and those other kind souls out there who are willing to help out, I don't know what I'd do. <br><br>I got the bus started and had the plugs and distributor replaced, so I'm definitely getting spark.  It was running fine until this morning when we got stranded at a music festival.  Another VW owner helped me out a lot.  The battery is fine, spark is fine, and there is gas coming through the fuel line to the engine, but after a full day of trying to get it started, it just wasn't happening.  We finally had to have it towed.<br><br>Now that I can piece it all together, last time it had trouble starting it was wet out - just like today, which leads me to believe it's a moisture issue.  Any thoughts?

[phil]

I am far from an expert on this, but after reading through your posts it does seem like a electrical ground problem. It is well known that the ignition system is sensitive when it comes to electrical grounding. I had an instance where my van wouldn't start one day and then start on another day. I took it to an expert VW mechanic and the first thing he suggested was cleaning the grounds, especially at the starter. It was late in the season that year and I took the van home. AFter winter had passed the van failed to start. I had looked at the ground and they looked OK, but that didn't matter. I took them off at the starter and cleaned them anyway. I polished them with emery cloth and made all the mating surfaces bright and clean. Sure enough, the van started consistently, and still does. Advice? clean all the grounds no matter what they look like. AT least if you do that you can eliminate that as a source of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Thanks  for the advice.  I have a few more questions, thougn.   <br><br>1.  How many ground wires are there?  As I look over the engine, it seems there are quite a few.<br><br>2.  Which are the most important to clean?<br><br>3.  How do I access the starter to clean the grounds?<br><br>Thanks again!

[cc6344454]

Let's start with the starter. first, unhook the battery. You don't want any shocking surprises. Then crawl under the van There should be a big heavy RED wire that leads right to the starter from the alternator I believe. The starter is a cylinder shaped thing. There is a nut that holds the wire(s) on the post of the starter. Regardless of how "Clean" the connections seem, unscrew the nut, it may be a tight spot and slow going, but take the nut off. WIth emery paper or fine sandpaper, clean every connection you took of. Polish everything bright and clean including the post on the starter. Re-assemble. TRy starting. <br><br>There is another bunch of ground right on top of the engine. If you look closely you will see a screw holding a bunch of wire to the engine block. Remove and clean as before.