Car won't start HELP!!!

After close to a year without my bug, it's been in the garage. I put in a new pan,front end,disc brakes,tranaxle all seals,new mastercylinder . In other words I rebuilt my car. It is a 67 pan with a chopped 66 body and a

1776cc motor.

Well I even repainted it myself too. Today was to be the day. I was so excited ! I was finally going to start her up again. put the battery on the charger yesterday and charged it up. Today, I put in the battery and 3 gallons of gas. Pushed her out onto the drive and got a fire extinguisher ...just in case!

Put in the key,turned it and NOTHING! no click, no whir of the fuel pump, no lights ,nothing! Pulled out the battery and took it around the corner to my local mechanic. They tested it and said it was fine just needed a charge!. I put it back on my charger and left it for an hour or so. Machine says it is at full charge. Still no joy. Crawled under and checked all the connections on the starter, and all fuses. I rewired /hooked everything up just as it was before the pan swap.

I hope you guys might be able to give me some advice.

Thanks! Mike West

Reply to
Mike West
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Should have done *something*, but did you replace the ground strap on the tranny?

Here's a quickie test for just the battery and cables: Jumper the starter as shown here:

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(Where glasses and be sure shift is in NEUTRAL!)

Speedy Jim

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Reply to
Speedy Jim

I believe I did. I'll double check that too. I did remove the battery ground and make sure it was getting a good contact.

Thanks Mike

Reply to
Mike West

so many times it's the solenoid. I put another solenoid in line to fire the one on the starter. to test. jump connection on the starter, if it turns the motor over. You have a high resistance. when you hint the starter mode. the idiot lights might just dim a little bit. good luck.

Reply to
A Veteran for Peace

If it is the solenoid as you guys think it might be. wouldn't I still get the dash light on and the electric fuel pump on? Nothing happens. It seems to be the battery as I have no lights or wipers either.

Thanks, Mike

Reply to
Mike West

welp heres my advice from a newbie.

first off does your charger have a "start" setting? if so hook it up to the battery just like jump starting the car and try.

if your lights aren't coming on and you have your battery connected. there is definatly a problem. time to grab your meter see if power is getting to the fuse box, also check if your getting power at the coil.

if your getting power at the coil try putting in a hot start relay.

Reply to
slugbug

Yuo should also check your ground cable from the battery at the point that it is bolted into the body. Just unbolt it and sandpaper the cable and the body then bolt it back. Grounds on a VW seem to cause the most problems with the electric system.

Reply to
Packrat46

"Mike West" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com...

Would it help to hook up an other battery (from your daily driver?) and try to start it again? Then you're sure it's (not) this battery.

jmho Roger

Reply to
bug '59

maybe you should suggest he fill rust holes with bubblegum and bondo too...maybe fix a flat tire with a screw and rubber washer? fix a chip in the paint with nail polish? those are all akin to the advice you gave above.

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

"Mike West" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

When you took the battery around the corner... did they check it under load or did they simply check voltage? One more question - did you leave the battery on a cement floor while working on the car? If so, the battery is shot. It will show full voltage, but will have no capacity to do much of anything. Someone suggested trying another battery. I second that motion - before you do a bunch of things that may not be necessary.

Reply to
Busahaulic

nah. but it's good that you suggested all the things you've tried in the past experience is a great teacher.

now here's something after you've said that its a bad idea... try teaching and saying why it's a bad idea. otherwise ... well everyone gets the picture

I think this is a great group to be in because we all share our experiences not just taking pot shots

Reply to
slugbug

okay....lesson number ONE.....quote what you are replying to so we know who/what you are talking about.... thanks.

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

Just connect a 12V 50W lamp directly to the battery terminals or just take a working battery from another car and see what happens.

Jo=E3o

Reply to
joao_eliseu

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