Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Starter Motor Sudden Failure: Normal?
From:neil n
Date:Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:14:21 -0800

Thanks Karl and Mike.

DMM on battery, no accessories, ~ 12.6 Volts
Headlights on, (are quite bright) turn key, headlights go out. DMM
shows 11.8 Volts  (not a huge Voltage drop). I expected a larger
Voltage drop when cranking starter.

Last night, the small booster battery AAA guy used did nothing.

Just connected battery charger. It displayed:  "67%"   12 Volts.
Charged less than 1/2 hour, charger shut off and displayed "100%".
Starter still doesn't work.

Odd symptom (?): hand brake off, turn key to crank starter, the  "  !
" light comes on.

Maybe I should read the owners manual?     ;^)

I did swap in a known good ECU but can't see how that would affect things.

Neil.

On Fri, Dec 14, 2012 at 1:43 PM, Mike B <mbucchino@charter.net> wrote:

> Put a voltmeter on the batt posts and take a reading with nothing but
> the dome light on, it should be over 12.5V.
>
> Then turn on the headlights only and see if the reading drops below 12V,
> it should not drop too much, maybe 12.0.
>
> Then turn off the headlights, and crank the starter and see if the
> reading drops well below 12V, it should not go below 11.5V.
>
> This should prove the battery condition, or the starter shorted if the
> voltage drops sharply.
>
> Mike B.
>
>
> On 12/14/2012 4:09 PM, Karl Wolz wrote:
>>
>> I've had dead batteries still put out 12+ volts; little or no amperage.

--
Neil n

65 kb image Myford Ready For Assembly  http://tinyurl.com/64sx4rp

'88 Slate Blue Westy to be named.

'81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"  http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/

Vanagon VAG Gas I4/VR Swap Google Group:

http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines