by 'just grinds' I think we've been talking about 'turns over fine, just
won't fire up.'

I have seen a case of very strong cranking on the starter but reluctant
to fire up, though not on a waterboxer engine.
usually 1.9 wbxr's fire right up if they crank at all .
when things are right.

I always recommend two things ..
a NOID light to make sure the ecu is firing the injectors.
that takes like 2 seconds and it's really nice to know the injectors are
getting triggered..
and ..a remote starter switch ..
when I'm working to get an engine running or working right ..it's just
very handy to be back there by the engine while you crank it. Sometimes
you even see something while it's cranking..
and you can't from the driver's seat.
scott

On 3/9/2013 4:34 PM, Gregg Carlen wrote:
> Starting with the basics, have you checked the condition of the battery? Is it a 2+ year old lead acid el cheapo battery that's been sitting for a couple months? Other?
>
> Do you have access to a load tester (or able to take the battery to FLAPS and have them load test)?
>
> Have you checked the grounds from end to end?
>
> The key is to find out the current battery condition and them see what happens to the voltage when you try starting it. That would rule out the battery and lead down the path of wiring/starter/solenoid condition.
>
> Gregg
> 90 Westy (Blueberry)
>
> On Mar 9, 2013, at 6:40 PM, john schaper <tahljohn@GMX.COM> wrote:
>
>> The symptions for my 84 is that when it is cold out by California standards, ie 40 degrees, it won't start--just grinds. But when I come home from work and its 60+ degrees, it starts right up and runs great Over the past year replaced the following: catalytic converter, AFM, Hall sender, fuel pump, changed the filters, half the fuel injuectors. Battery connections look solid, vacuum lines all connected and hoses look good, gas tank was R&R'd about a year ago and cleaned out. I'm totally at a loss and can't figure out what part could be bad to even replace. Not that I have ill will toward fellow vanagonites, but I hope someone else has had this problem and can make suggestions.