I Did a Stupid. 

"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo) 09/30/2018 at 08:03 • Filed to: None

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Yesterday I took the Rabbit to the self service car wash because I don’t have a working hose at my house. I washed, clay b arred, washed, and waxed it, then washed it again.  The car looks a lot better, but I also did something dumb. I washed under the hood, specifically the back side of the engine where the shifter linkage is. I did this primarily because I have to replace the linkage bushings and I wanted to at least get rid of some of the grease/oil/dirt that had collected there. It helped, a bit.

However now the car won’t start. It started up fine at at car wash, and then I went over to a friends house to talk about converting the trunk into a tailgate, more on that in the future. However when I tried to leave his house the car wouldn’t start. We monkeyed withnit for an hour. Tried to jump it first, because I forgot I have a volt gauge, which rear 12 volts. We tried tapping on the starter, we checked the fuses in the box under the dash, which is as far as I know the only one. We took apart all the connectors and checked them for water, dried a few out. Still nothing. Finally I said “why don’t we tried to pop start it. And that worked just fine to get it home.

As a special bonus while looking for problems I discovered that one of my valve cover bolts is stripped out. Uuuuuuh.

Svend > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 09/30/2018 at 08:45

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This is always a concern for me.

I had something like this happen with me when a car known to the owner have an electrical problem, but not told to me, wouldn’t start as I was half way through washing it to close the roof. I hadn’t even sprayed under the bonnet. Only pressure rinsed the front wheel arches.

Now I double check the car has no issues and I avoid at all sorts if I can, putting the hose into the engine bay. I use degreaser and load of brushes and cloths and take my time.

I hope everything is sorted quickly and easily.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Svend 09/30/2018 at 08:55

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It shouldn’t be a big headache once I can take a look at my repair manual. The ignition system is only like 5 wires altogether. And the car runs fine so I know it’s that system alone that is having an issues 

RacinBob > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 09/30/2018 at 10:33

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I think what you are saying is the ignition and fuel pump are fine as it runs, but the starter is not. I saw below string that likely addresses your question but I don’t have time to read it. https://volkswagenownersclub.com/vw/showthread.php/38745-81-Diesel-Rabbit-Truck-Starter-Issues-Please-Help

In the below picture you see the starter control wire and terminal. What is the simplest answer is you blew the wire off the terminal and all you need to reconnect it. If you are not that lucky then unplug it and do the following

1. Get a volt ohm meter and using the resistance mode check the resistance between the terminal and the starter, there should be something (25 ohms?) as long as it is not an open circuit you are fine, if it is open you may have a bad solenoid.

2. Use the Volt o hm meter to then check voltage between the plug and ground when somebody turns the key on, if there is none, there is a problem in the starter circuit. This can be confirmed by by getting a piece of wire and connecting to the + terminal of the battery and touching the terminal very fast with the car out of gear and the starter should engage. Be careful as if you touch the starter to the metal, anywhere, you will spark and have a short circuit so I would use one hand to hod the wire to the battery and the other to touch the end to the starter terminal.

If it turns over, you know the starter is good. If the starter works then you know you have a plug or circuit problem as confirmed by no voltage. If there is voltage and the starter does not work when jumped, you know it is a solenoid problem and you probably need a new starter.

My bet is the plug blew off. 

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > RacinBob 09/30/2018 at 10:36

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I didn’t have time to read all of this right now, but it’ll looks super useful! Thanks 

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 09/30/2018 at 10:59

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“ I washed under the hood”

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/30/2018 at 11:21

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So my hands gone get AS filthy when I work on the car .

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 09/30/2018 at 11:23

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The irony irons bigly!

Nom De Plume > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 09/30/2018 at 12:13

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The internet in a nutshell right there. 17 words. 11 actually but 17 for the completists. Bonus points for the misused contraction that makes sense as the reader lapses into an “ah” at the correct place.

Nom De Plume > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 09/30/2018 at 12:17

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Wasserzunge will get you every time.  Be more careful what you put in Veronica.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Nom De Plume 09/30/2018 at 12:40

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I am goodly at typing and reading.

Can you even really call it “typing” anymore? I feel like that denotes something more special than smashing a screen with the pne thumb will also trying to look like I’m working.