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Lenny D. - 22 Oct 2009 20:41 GMT

Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!

Opinions, please...my solonoid is acting up on my original German '71 beetle
starter. Motor is fine but the solonoid will get 'stuck' about 4 times a
year. Time for a change, so do I -

1) buy a whole new Mexican Bosch starter, or
2) replace just the solonoid but go through the hassle of removing the
entire starter only to reinstall a 39 yo. German motor??
...new 1600DP installed with 24k

Lenny D.
(I see some things never change!)

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Jan Andersson - 23 Oct 2009 02:17 GMT

> Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Lenny D.
> (I see some things never change!)

Hey Lenny, I remember you!

How does the solenoid get stuck?
Sometimes the moving cylinder inside the solenoid gets corroded, and the
corrosion starts interfering with the sleeve the cylinder moves in. They
may get slow at first, and eventually stop traveling all the way, so
there is no contact to turn the starter motor. You can take them apart
(most require soldering some wires loose), or you could pull the pivot
bolt half way out from the neck and spray WD40 or something in the
exposed bolt hole, turning teh starter in your hands so the WD40 goes
into the solenoid. Then hit it with jumper cables 10-20 times to give it
a good strong jolt. That should lubricate and clean it up as well as
clean the starter motor contacts at the end of the solenoid piston's
travel. Don't pull the pivot bolt out completely, it's a pain to get
back in.

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John Stafford - 23 Oct 2009 05:20 GMT

> How does the solenoid get stuck?
> Sometimes the moving cylinder inside the solenoid gets corroded, and the
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> travel. Don't pull the pivot bolt out completely, it's a pain to get
> back in.

This is a case where, IMHO, WD40 is the right stuff because it purges
and displaces moisture, then dissipates to just a tiny bit of harmless
residual. But WD40 is not really a lubricant except when it is wet, and
only a bit of a lube. Ya know it was the stuff in 55 gallon cans used to
purge seawater off of aircraft carrier planes and electrics.

Reply to this Message

Jan Andersson - 23 Oct 2009 12:06 GMT

>> How does the solenoid get stuck?
>> Sometimes the moving cylinder inside the solenoid gets corroded, and the
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> only a bit of a lube. Ya know it was the stuff in 55 gallon cans used to
> purge seawater off of aircraft carrier planes and electrics.

Yes I know what WD40 is.. and I don't recommend dousing the innards of
the starter with heavy oil. WD40 is thin enough to get to where it needs
to go, do it's job, and then mostly disappear.

Reply to this Message

Lenny D. - 23 Oct 2009 07:08 GMT

>> Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!
>>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> starter motor contacts at the end of the solenoid piston's travel. Don't
> pull the pivot bolt out completely, it's a pain to get back in.

Hey Jan, I was around and remember the NYE chat where you stayed online for
the whole 24 hrs.! Did I read that you'e now in FL?

Um...solonoid...stuck....clarification - once in four blue moons when I turn
the key the idiot lights will dim ever-so-slightly and...nothing, no
starter. Turn the key again, same thing. Years ago Speedy Jim suggested I
replace the ignition switch. I did. Four blue moons later, same deal. So
what happens when that happens? I wait. And within five or ten minutes I
turn the key and I'm good to go for another four blue moons! I suspect the
solonoid is playing roulette every time I ask it to function. I think I'm
hearing you say to try and fix what I have, yes? I suppose I should crack
the Bentley and study up on what's inside the solonoid before I remove the
starter.
Great to see you around!

Lenny D.

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Jan Andersson - 23 Oct 2009 12:11 GMT

>>> Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> Hey Jan, I was around and remember the NYE chat where you stayed online for
> the whole 24 hrs.! Did I read that you'e now in FL?

Yea, I finally moved... married Kidd from Ramva and now live near
Orlando, and have a boatload of kids :P
How time flies, huh.

> Um...solonoid...stuck....clarification - once in four blue moons when I turn
> the key the idiot lights will dim ever-so-slightly and...nothing, no
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Lenny D.

Just shocking the starter by shorting the big and small terminals while
it's in the car, would often be enough to freshen things up so the
solenoid would loosen up, and the contacts would clean themselves too.
Sparks will fly, and high current is present.. so use jumper cables or a
heavy wrench or screwdriver to short them. Don't hit ground. The current
available from the ignition switch is much lower than what you can give
it straight from the heavy battery cable. Which conveniently is located
just an inch from the small solenoid terminal :)

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Lenny D. - 23 Oct 2009 22:03 GMT

>>>> Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!
>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> Yea, I finally moved... married Kidd from Ramva and now live near Orlando,
> and have a boatload of kids :P

Wow, how'dat happen!? ;-)

> How time flies, huh.

Yes, tempus fugit.

>> Um...solonoid...stuck....clarification - once in four blue moons when I
>> turn the key the idiot lights will dim ever-so-slightly and...nothing, no
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> straight from the heavy battery cable. Which conveniently is located just
> an inch from the small solenoid terminal :)

I will try that, have all the necessaries and am well aware of what happens
when positive electrons meet unopposed negative ones of that amperage! :-0

I also will inspect wiring and connectors of 30 and 50 through the car, I
read up on that last night, and there are two T1 connectors on the 50 wire,
one behind the dash and one somewhere in the back (under the seat?). Maybe
something lurks...reports forthcoming.

Reply to this Message

Jan Andersson - 24 Oct 2009 00:08 GMT

> "Jan Andersson" <bugfuel@spamtrap.rocketmail.com> wrote in message
>> Yea, I finally moved... married Kidd from Ramva and now live near Orlando,
>> and have a boatload of kids :P
>
> Wow, how'dat happen!? ;-)

I would explain it to you in detail, but this is a family newsgroup.... :P

>> How time flies, huh.
>
> Yes, tempus fugit.

Hey what did I just say, watch that language! LOL

jan

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P.J.Berg - 24 Oct 2009 01:19 GMT

>> "Jan Andersson" <bugfuel@spamtrap.rocketmail.com> wrote in message
>>> Yea, I finally moved... married Kidd from Ramva and now live near
>>> Orlando, and have a boatload of kids :P
>> Wow, how'dat happen!? ;-)
>
> I would explain it to you in detail, but this is a family newsgroup....

Let em see now, how was this, ferriner, nah, forneque, nah, ferrincation,
nah, forinecution, nah, fornefugal, nah, fe*ckemall, naaahh, badgit,
bandera, bandication, nah, felatio, nah(Hey leave my ex out of it!).
Well, they did manage somehow, and more than once! :0P

J.

> :P
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> jan

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rocket scientist - 31 Oct 2009 17:39 GMT

> >>> Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!
> >>>
[quoted text clipped - 54 lines]
> it straight from the heavy battery cable. Which conveniently is located
> just an inch from the small solenoid terminal :)

The "Idiots" guide suggests running a thick red wire from the solenoid
to the battery area. then if needed , a short little jolt gets things
going, for awhile.
I install an old Ford solenoid on the fire wall,it's gets activated by
the key and it fires the solenoid on the starter. works every time.
good luck!

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Jim Ed - 27 Oct 2009 18:24 GMT

Maybe the problem is old wiring.

When it gets old, it corrodes on the inside.
When that happens, the current can not flow like it should.

Sometime one the these hard start relays,

http://www2.cip1.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=HARD+START+RELAY&Search2.x=18&Sear
ch2.y=13&Search2=Search

will fix it until you can replace the wiring harness.
...just trying to help!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Lenny D.
> (I see some things never change!)

Reply to this Message

Lenny D. - 29 Oct 2009 08:19 GMT

Actually, I started there first...
Disassembled the + battery connector, brightened up the inside, cleaned up
the huge wire to the starter and the smaller one going to the regulator.
Cleaned the wires and terminals on the regulator, found the T1 under the
seat and cleaned it, too. They all needed attention but the wires themselves
looked fine including the crimps, nice and coppery!

Might just be my imagination but I think the idiot lights are a tad brighter
in the 'on' position. The - battery connector was fine. Time will tell, I
have four blue moons to go! :-D

Lenny D.

Maybe the problem is old wiring.

When it gets old, it corrodes on the inside.
When that happens, the current can not flow like it should.

Sometime one the these hard start relays,

http://www2.cip1.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=HARD+START+RELAY&Search2.x=18&Sear
ch2.y=13&Search2=Search

will fix it until you can replace the wiring harness.
...just trying to help!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Oct 22, 2:41 pm, "Lenny D." <bas...@cox.net> wrote:

> Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Lenny D.
> (I see some things never change!)

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