Many times this old wiring is corroded up inside the insulation, which adds resistance and reduces the overall voltage delivered at the end of the circuit. The switch, wiring, ground connections, battery connections, starter/ solenoid all conspire together with old age, and that's your result. Poor or no crankover. Cleaning everything may help, but you can't clean the copper inside the wiring insulation. Water wicks up inside at the ends, sometimes a couple inches. Sometimes, you can trim back until it's clear of corrosion, crimp a new terminal or solder the end, and it's fresh and new again. Sometimes, it's the aging and worn components, and they need replacement. The relay is not necessary, but it does make a nice shortcut for the path on that extra-long circuit on the ACVW's starting circuit. It also can't repair a bad ignition switch, starter solenoid, starter motor, bad grounds or corroded wiring.
Mike B. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glenn Ring" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Air-Cooled Volkswagen Discussion List" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2007 10:56 PM Subject: Re: [vintagvw] Starter Relay > You can try cleaning all the contacts. But adding a relay will also get > the job done. > > Eric Larson wrote: >> I have a stock 6 volt, 1960 Karmann Ghia. I thought the starter quit >> working. I tested the starter and it works fine. I tested the key switch >> and it gives me 5.5 volts at the starter. Somewhere I'm losing half a >> volt. Is this enough to make the starter not kick over? If I put 6 volts >> to the same terminal, the starter works fine. Do I need to do the >> "Starter Relay" thing, with a 6 volt Ford relay? Any thoughts on what I >> should do? >> >> >> Thanks, Eric >> _______________________________________________ >> vintagvw site list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw >> >> >> > > -- > Best regards, > > Glenn Ring > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > www.glenn-ring.com > > > _______________________________________________ > vintagvw site list > [email protected] > http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw > _______________________________________________ vintagvw site list [email protected] http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw
