As If There Weren't Enough Things On My Plate

[kevin_standlee]

While I was in Yuba City this weekend, I had cause to go run some errands for my mother. After the first stop, I got in the van and turned the key on the ignition.

Click.

Nothing. Uh, oh. I turned it off and tried again. The engine turned over and started with no problem at all as if the first non-event was a non-event.

I tried not to worry about this too much while dealing with the rest of my errands for Mom, but mentioned it to my sister and nephew at the end of the day. My nephew Shane, who has some knowledge here, said that it sounded like a stuck starter solenoid, and suggested that if it gets completely stuck to go bang on it with a hammer. Of course, it probably needs replacing, too.

This is almost the opposite of the distributor problem on the last Nevada trip, in that then the starter and battery were just fine but the engine wouldn't start.

Now I have to find a window of opportunity for my mechanic to have a look at it.

Comments

[kproche.livejournal.com]

Is this a manual transmission? Is it new enough to have a clutch interlock switch?

Every so often we find the Subaru doesn't start, because the driver isn't holding the clutch all the way down firmly enough. releasing and then stepping on the pedal again (probably more firmly, out of frustration) results in a normal start.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

No and no. My van is a 1989 Chevrolet Astro with an automatic transmission.

[travelswithkuma.livejournal.com]

Dids yous trys givings its fishs? Bears dos lots ofs things fors fishs.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

I think Kuma has the right idea.
You need to give fishes to the correct gods for the van to start.
Though taking it to the mechanics is probably a smart move as well.