Aucbvax.4789
net.vwrabbit
utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!wildbill
Thu Oct 29 11:48:23 1981
Baffling Electrical Problem
My '75 Rabbit has developed an electrical problem which has stumped several
mechanics to whom I have presented it. When cold-starting the engine, the
panel lights will come on (presumably indicating the ignition system is sound),
but the starter motor will not turn over for a length of time which is
directly dependent on the distance the car was driven since the last cold
start--for a short in-town trip, almost instantaneously, for a 20-mile or
so trip, in about 2 minutes, for a 60 to 80-mile trip, as much as 10 minutes.
Also, on a longer trip, after about 150 miles, it began dying inexplicably,
although it would restart after 2 or 3 tries. This is an original Rabbit,
before the days of diesels or electronic ignition. Has anybody out there
encountered a similar problem, or know what to do about it?