95 VW Euro Camper - Can't engage Starter due to clutch override problem

Asked by Nickstr Apr 19, 2014 at 12:03 PM about the 1995 Volkswagen EuroVan

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

This has been a progressive problem, where the clutch had to be depressed to the floor
before the clutch override would allow power to the starter. It got so bad that the clutch
pedal had to be depressed really hard (into the firewall) to engage starter, now it wont
engage the starter at all. How is the starter override controlled 1) electrical switch, or a
combination of hydraulic pressure and electrical switch? This is a 1995,2.5 Gas, 5
cylinder, camper.

1 Answer

540

As far as i know, there is no connection between the starter pinion and the clutch. You should be able to engage starter with transmission in neutral, without dpressing clutch. When activating the starter the pinion advances by centrifugal force to engage with the flywheel. Once the flywheel turns faster, the starter pinion retracts. It is all very mechanical, unless vw produced something different for vehicles other than canadian imports (mine is in canada). Yor problem probably is an electrical one with the starter or only dirty contacts somewhere in the starter circuit which ould start right with your ignition key contact. I once had a faulty switch, but most often the problem lies with dirty contacts on the thick cables supplying starter current.

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