Hi Robert,
I had similar problems : kept having to re-adjust my neutral switch  
to get it to start.  Eventually, no amount of adjustment would help,  
and in the end it turned out that the real problem was a worn-out  
starter solenoid.  The neutral switch was just a side-issue.    
Consider doing the "hot start relay" fix, and/or replacing your  
starter or starter solenoid altogether...

On Feb 4, 2007, at 3:28 PM, robertmstewart wrote:

> Doug,
>
> Thanks for the reply. I must have something else wrong because I  
> did exactly
> what you said it still do dot work. I tried it in park.
>
> I really, really appreciate you getting back to me. I am not sure  
> why I did
> not receive the p-mail you sent though.
>
> Anyway, thanks again.
>
> Robert
>
>
> on 2/4/07 5:41 PM, Doug at vanagons@cox.net wrote:
>
>> Rob,
>> I've responded several times (p-mail) on your problem, but I don't  
>> see how you
>> could have received them. Just disconnect the 2 big red wires,  
>> plug them
>> together, and wrap electrical tape over the splice! Just be aware  
>> of which
>> gear your shift selector is in before you turn the key!
>> BTW, New York needs updating! :-)
>> Doug in Rival CT
>>
>>
>> robertmstewart wrote:
>>>
>>> Status Update:
>>> 4:30pm Sunday
>>> I attempted to do what the person from FLA suggested but it did  
>>> not work. If
>>> I new more on how the wiring worked I would have tried to bypass  
>>> the entire
>>> system but my knowledge is weak in these areas. So I am leaving  
>>> my van in
>>> update NY and will try a shop called Benko Motors, a self  
>>> proclaimed vw
>>> specialist in Middletown. Hopefully they can make a house call  
>>> and try to
>>> fix her.
>>>
>>> If anyone ever has a suggestions on a solution let me know.  If  
>>> not I will
>>> try and take care of it myself.
>>>
>>> So now I am taking the bus back to NYC.
>>> -------
>>>
>>> on 2/4/07 11:44 AM, robertmstewart at robertmstewart@mac.com wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Well,  Thanks to someone in Florida named Markus I got a basic  
>>>> answer to the
>>>> situation:
>>>>
>>>> Here was his reply in case anyone is interested:
>>>>
>>>> I'm sure you could easily bypass the whole unit, it will just  
>>>> start in any
>>>> gear and you will not have reverse lights. This could be  
>>>> achieved by some
>>>> jumper wirer made out of a short wire and spade connectors IIRC.  
>>>> it'll get
>>>> you going OR rule out the switch as the fault if there is  
>>>> another problem.
>>>>
>>>> I took mine apart and did some solder work to it to get it back  
>>>> functioning
>>>> correctly:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php? 
>>>> t=191526&highlight=reverse+li
>>>> ght
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> This thread gave me push to get off my lazy ass and get my  
>>>> reverse lights
>>>> working again. Mine were intermittent, you you could see that  
>>>> wiggling the
>>>> shifter would make them flicker. I took it apart tonight, the  
>>>> "slider" found
>>>> on the shifter itself was pretty much past its prime, the top  
>>>> section of it
>>>> actually wore a hole in it. Savvy cheapskate that I am, I broke  
>>>> out the
>>>> soldering iron and soldered myself a new surface for it. shaped  
>>>> and filed it
>>>> smooth, cleaned the contact points, sprayed all with a little  
>>>> corrosion X
>>>> and good as new! I'd feel better with a new piece but I have a  
>>>> feeling its
>>>> not gonna be an easy part to locate? This should hold up for  
>>>> awhile though,
>>>> i'm very surprised there were not starting issues it was so  
>>>> chewed up. No I
>>>> gotta replace a burned out bulb on the pass side though
>>>>
>>>> Markus
>>>> mdetro4660@aol.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> on 2/3/07 8:48 PM, robertmstewart at robertmstewart@mac.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello to all,
>>>>>
>>>>> Been a while since I posted anything on the site. I have been  
>>>>> super busy
>>>>> with a new job in Brooklyn at a company called VICE. 
>>>>> (www.viceland.com
>>>>> <http://www.viceland.com> )
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyway, my van has been great but I recently took it to be be  
>>>>> serviced for
>>>>> some upper ball joints and replacement of the neutral/parking  
>>>>> switch in my
>>>>> 88 Automatic and now it�s not working.
>>>>>
>>>>> The mechanic purchased the wrong year part for the Neutral/Park  
>>>>> Swtich, he
>>>>> said and he put back the old one. At first when I picked up the  
>>>>> van it
>>>>> would
>>>>> not start, he had to put it in neutral to start it. I told him  
>>>>> that would
>>>>> not suffice till the new part arrived. He fiddled with it,  
>>>>> adjusted the
>>>>> unit
>>>>> and got it start in park. I drove upstate on a 2 hour drive and  
>>>>> it was
>>>>> fine.
>>>>> I stopped for gas once turning the van off, and starting it  
>>>>> again but when
>>>>> I
>>>>> arrived to my destination in Bloomingburg NY and tried to start  
>>>>> it in the
>>>>> morning to go snow tubing it would not start. All the dash  
>>>>> lights came on
>>>>> but no start.
>>>>>
>>>>> I called the mechanic and he told me the contact from the  
>>>>> Automatic shifter
>>>>> just had to be pushed against the Neutral/Park Switch. I tried  
>>>>> this several
>>>>> times with no luck. Since I had the shifter hood off, I removed  
>>>>> the 4
>>>>> connectors going into the neutral/park switch and lightly  
>>>>> sanded them to
>>>>> clean them up, I also did this on the contact bridge and the  
>>>>> inside of the
>>>>> neutral/park switch. I tried to start the van again, but no  
>>>>> luck, not in
>>>>> park or neutral.
>>>>>
>>>>> The contact bridge does look a bit warn, looks like its warn on  
>>>>> the top and
>>>>> angles outward toward the bottom. It has started reliably for a  
>>>>> year now
>>>>> without a problem till this mechanic fiddled with it. Any ideas  
>>>>> for a short
>>>>> term fix? Is this something I can get at an AutoZone type  
>>>>> place? Can I make
>>>>> something from Tin-Foil or another substance?
>>>>>
>>>>> Can I easily remove this contact switch? If so how?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> If I can�t figure out a temporary fix to get it back to  
>>>>> Brooklyn NY then I
>>>>> will to leave it upstate and take the bus back to NYC.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
>>>>>
>>>>> Go the website link below to see the photo�s of the two items.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks again to everyone for their ideas in advance.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>> Robert
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>