I have re fitted the starter button. But at least now the starter wiring is done properly with a relay, and with the proper wiring, rather than being fed off the permenant live feed on the hazard light switch! Like when I bought the camper. Thanks for the help again.
I've been reading this with interest as I'm about to start putting my bus back together. It seems to make sense to put a starter relay in although there weren't any issues before. Please could you give me a link to the relay you bought and a sketch of how to wire it in? Thank you.
I’m throwing in here what might be irrelevant, but I just had my engine out and when I put it all back, I couldn’t get anything out of the starter. Everything else worked. I traced wires using the Samba wiring diagrams, and initially thought the selector box was faulty (it’s an auto and will only start if it’s in park or neutral). Not that, but it set me working back to under the dash to the 8 way terminal block. Working back from there I found a relay and fuse which don’t feature on the VW wiring diagram. The fuse had blown. That’s all it took to fix it. I have an ancient alarm system fitted. It seems to be a professional installation from new that sounds the horn if the doors are opened or the radio removed. I now think it also has an anti hot wire circuit to kill the starter.
You can buy a kit from a few of the suppliers, but I just bought a decent quality relay with a built in fuse, and fitted it in the engine bay screwed to the fuel tank cover. Supply was direct from the battery and I extended the starter solenoid wire up to the fuse as a trigger wire. The other two connections are an earth to the body (the screw it’s fastened on with would be fine) and the output from the relay goes back to the spade on the starter. If you get stuck do a search for hot start relay wiring diagram.
The wiring is working now, but if I rattle the wiring under the dashboard which is all knotted up with the ignition switch loom and loads of other wires, the ignition light flickers, and the radio goes off. It conked out on me earlier but the light came back on and it re started. So there is something funky happening under the dash. It does not seem to be the switch itself, and I have checked all the obvious connections and renewed some crimps. I got fed up by 9pm in the dark getting rained on and lying under the dash, so I’ll try again another day.
Thank you Kerrin, very helpful. Worth doing at this stage and I had heard about hot start problems so hopefully killing off that one too.
Obviously I meant relay, no idea why I typed fuse, or maybe I was autocorrected..... here is a wiring diagram I googled
It’s so much easier if you take the dash panel and steering wheel off then work from the comfort of the driver’s seat. I’ve done it so many times now, I can be in there in around 2 minutes.
That sounds like a good idea, it would be easier to really get to everything and tidy it all up. I think my van may have an earlier column as the steering wheel is not likely to come off without a puller, but I could probably take the column out..
Useful diagram. Presumably as the ignition switch will only be carrying minimal current, it's OK to use the original fatter wire that used to go to the solenoid and reuse it to the relay instead. Saves running a new wire and more copper means better conductivity doesn't it? Just a few short wires to do from the relay then
The bearing puller kits on eBay do a good job of removing the older tapered spline type steering wheels and can do the alternator bearings as well.
Great, thanks for the tip, I’ll have a look. The only YouTube wheel removal video I could find, made it look very hard, and they were pouring hot water on it as well as a big puller, which put me off bothering.
