1970 VW Bug Starting Issues

[johnw]

We have had the bug for 2 years and every now and then it will not want to start. We turn the key on and the lights on the dash come on...theres power to the radio..but get no clicking sound or anything. If we push it of course and let the clutch out it will start up. We have had it into a mechanic and they checked all the wires from the front to the back to the starter and found nothing wrong. The morning we took it to them we had to push it to start it but once it was there they started it 6 times with no problems. They said nothing was wrong with the starter so they did not change it. We tried to time when this will happen but it doesnt matter if it was 3 times or 6 times inbetween starts...it just does it when it needs too. The battery checks out fine. Any help would be welcomed. Push starting this is getting me tired. Thanks. John in Plainwell

[Chris]

Bad connection on the battery, starter, or a bad ground? One thing I also have seen is corroded fuses that act up. It happens to me all of the time.

[jmallen05]

Sometimes my car does something similar. Never on the first start, if I shut my car off and all power goes out but i dont pull my keys occasionally it won't start all the lights on the dash come on but you hit the starter and nothing no click. I turn it off make sure the ignition is all the way off and it fires right up. Maybe the ignition is worn? I'm no expert though.

[dubfreak1]

I have the same problem with my Bug. I think it is an intermittent problem with the solenoid. The 1 foot long 2x4 that always rides along is for tapping on the solenoid to encourage it to make contact. All this said, it could be the electrical part of the switch. Some day I'll get disgusted enough to buy a new starter and will find out....................

[Ruffuss]

Could this problem be a heat issue? Is your car cold or has it run for awhile? Later Kenn

[johnw]

Thanks everyone for replying back. When the starting issue happens it does not matter if its warm or cold. It happens first thing in the morning (Its in a Garage) and it happens after we have driven it to a show and if we try to start it 2 minutes later it wont start. We thought we could time this after so many starts but we push started it Friday thinking there was a dead spot in the starter then the next day we would be ready to go but still we tried to start it and nothing happens the next day. Same result. Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

John in Plainwell.

[bren]

John:
If you can get it started drive it out Saturday.
We can put it in the garage and do a quick tech session on it.
With all those VW brains there I'll bet someone can figure it out!
-Bren

[Ruffuss]

John, how's the starting problem now you've replaced the starter? Any more issues? Later Kenn

[MikeH]

Hi, was browsing and stumbled across thread. I just finished troubleshooting starting problems with a ghia I just aquired. Not sure how your problem turned out but decided to post what I did.

The "everything you wanted to know about VW's for the complete idiot" book has some clever troubleshooting tips for starting problems.

The most common are starter, starter solenoid, wiring, ignition switch.

Intermittent starting can be from any of the above so you have to start eliminating possibilities.

1. Start with the easy first - the starter. Key off, brake on, transmission in neutral. Bridge the power post and the negative post on the starter with a screw driver. The starter should spin without making odd noises. If it doesnt, starter is bad or battery is dead. Sometimes the ground wire on the starter gets thin or corroded so you can check that. Mine made grinding noises so I replaced it. Problem was not fixed but it sure turns over nice now.

2. While your under there test the solenoid. Bridge the power post on the starter with the small tab on the solenoid where the ignition wire is attached. This should activate the solenoid. If it doesn't, tap the solenoid with a hammer and try again. If it still doesn't click, solenoid is bad. Replace it.

3. If starter and solenoid check out, then circuit supplying power to the starter has an issue which means wire or ignition switch.
Trace the ignition wire from the solenoid back throug the car looking for bare spots. It may have splices in it that are bad, theck those. Chances are this won't be your issue but check it anyway. If it looks good its a real good chance your problem is the ignition switch itself.

4. Here's a trick I figure out. The wire from the solenoid ends up behind the dash somewhere and is routed directly into the ignition switch in the dash or on the steering column depending on your vehicle. Its a white plastic part on the backside of the cylinder your key plugs into. It has a bunch of wires coming out of it, of which 1 is your solenoid wire. Unplug this wire. Cut yourself a length of 14guage wire and bare both ends. Attach one end of this to your solenoid wire and touch the other end to the hot post on your fuse box. This should immediately cause the starter to engage and turn your engine over. It won't start if the key is off. You can turn your key on and repeat the procedure and your car will start. If this works but the car wont start with the solenoid wire attached directly to the ignition, then your switch is bad.

I bought a new switch from Autozone for 63$ (ouch). I have yet to install it but now have a way to start the car when it acts up. Incidentally you can also use this technique to bypass the ignition switch permanently and hook up a push button starter or hide a toggle switch so the car can't be started at all with or without the key unless you know where the toggle is.

Whew, hope that helps. Starting problems are a bugger.

Mike

[johnw]

Thanks everyone who has posted. I should of replied a few weeks ago. What it turned out to be was the starter. After push starting it one last time to get it over to George's in Battle Creek he put a Bosch starter on it and ever since then it has started right up. Thank goodness cause my wife was getting tired pushing it. ;D Last weekend with the big help from Bren we installed flip out windows which is a big help and lets the wind flow thru. Very nice. So if you see us around Plainwell or at car shows please say hi. Thanks again.

John in Plainwell