Hello Dennis and Scott:

Thank you very much for your replies. � It is 43 degrees F
here in Macon, GA, this morning and van started like a champ
as it has done every evening this week around 6:45 p.m. when
I go pick up my Son (and future VW mechanic) from high
school (he is captain of the Bibb County high school
robotics team -- First Robotics Competition). So, perhaps on
cold mornings next week, some warm air to the ignition
switch (plastic steering column shroud is long gone), may
well be the answer.

BTW -- Where can I buy the remote start cable?

John

On Wed, 2016-01-13 at 20:19 -1000, SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' -
Scott ) wrote:
> hard for me to understand why many people do not, in a
> case like this,
> immediately connect a Remote Starter Switch to the
> solenoid trigger
> terminal and good positive voltage.
>
> then push the button� � ! .
> if the starter goes ...then you know the problem is
> somewhere in the
> rest of the van's wiring.
> if it doesn't go ...
> do the old hammer trick, while holding it energized , tap
> it with a hammer.
> if it goes then, you've identified that your starter is
> very like old or
> weak.
>
> always check grounds of course ~ !
>
> the remote starter connection thing is so handy, why not
> just have a
> dedicated wire in your engine compartment for that ?
> heck ..some people have been known to make that wire long
> enough so in
> an emergency you can touch it to the hot terminal on the
> alternator.
> Heck again ...on these 25+ year old vans I sometimes
> install a heavy
> duty generic starter button up front ..
> so if the original circuit doesn't work you still have
> that one .
>
> Scott
>
> On 1/12/2016 3:25 AM, Larry Alofs wrote:
> > Can you hear/feel your starter relay click when you turn
> > the key?
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Jan 12, 2016 at 8:15 AM, john <john@jhl.mgacoxma
> > il.com> wrote:
> >
> > > My van ('84, 1.9L engine, automatic transmission) is
> > > having
> > > to spend this winter in my driveway. Â Once overnight
> > > temperature drop into the low 30s or worse (for middle
> > > Georgia), turning the key to the start position will
> > > not
> > > energize the starter. Â I can hear fuel pump turn on.
> > > Â Not a
> > > battery issue as interior lights are bright. Â
> > > Neutral-start
> > > switch on automatic transmission shift lever is
> > > bypassed.
> > >
> > > I have a Bosch starter relay in the starter motor
> > > circuit
> > > and everything works fine once the van has been in the
> > > sun
> > > for a couple of hours. Â I am wondering if the
> > > contacts in
> > > the ignition switch (12 to 15 years since replacement)
> > > are
> > > worn to the point they will not make contact in the
> > > cold.
> > >
> > > Is this a possibility?
> > >
> > > Thank you,
> > >
> > > John
> > >