vats
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,050
Likes: 147
From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
vats
FYI
just a heads up for all of us with older c4's.
My car is a 130,000 mile 86E auto coupe with 113 heads and 89 injectors.
I took my car to the alignment shop after changing the steering rack, and when we tried to start it at the shop, it wouldn't do anything.
the lights on the dash changed like it was going to start, and no starter. I assumed it was the vats.
This is the very first time this ever happened.
after about 2 hours, after repeated tries with the key, un hooking the battery, playing with the doors, and hatch, etc., I got it towed home, and it started right up. ok, what ever it was, it's satisfied.
I cleaned the battery terminals, took the doors apart, checked the cables, clips, latches, then hatch switch, etc.
I start it up, runs great, then went to the market about 2 miles away. when I get back out to it, it won't start.
I crawled under it, looked at the starter wires, and looked for ANYTHING.
After 2 hours, on a 115 degree day, it started up. after fuming, walking home, getting another car, getting tools, I put a volt meter on the start pin on the starter solenoid, and it had volts. NO WAY!!!!
MY STARTER WORE OUT!!!!!
Yup, I started it up, drove it home, and took the starter out. The brushes were so worn, the plastic brush holders were absorbing heat and holding the positive brushes off the starter armature.
I undercut the micarta with a hacksaw blade profiled to give maximum cuttage, and added new brushes, lubed the bearings, and BING! it starts every time.
So when you think the vats is kicking in and stranding you, it could just be a starter. Go to Radio Shack, buy a really cheap, small meter, and keep it in the storage pocket behind the seat. you are gonna need it if your car is at least 20 years old and has high mileage. That meter is a good idea anyway.
just a heads up for all of us with older c4's.
My car is a 130,000 mile 86E auto coupe with 113 heads and 89 injectors.
I took my car to the alignment shop after changing the steering rack, and when we tried to start it at the shop, it wouldn't do anything.
the lights on the dash changed like it was going to start, and no starter. I assumed it was the vats.
This is the very first time this ever happened.
after about 2 hours, after repeated tries with the key, un hooking the battery, playing with the doors, and hatch, etc., I got it towed home, and it started right up. ok, what ever it was, it's satisfied.
I cleaned the battery terminals, took the doors apart, checked the cables, clips, latches, then hatch switch, etc.
I start it up, runs great, then went to the market about 2 miles away. when I get back out to it, it won't start.
I crawled under it, looked at the starter wires, and looked for ANYTHING.
After 2 hours, on a 115 degree day, it started up. after fuming, walking home, getting another car, getting tools, I put a volt meter on the start pin on the starter solenoid, and it had volts. NO WAY!!!!
MY STARTER WORE OUT!!!!!
Yup, I started it up, drove it home, and took the starter out. The brushes were so worn, the plastic brush holders were absorbing heat and holding the positive brushes off the starter armature.
I undercut the micarta with a hacksaw blade profiled to give maximum cuttage, and added new brushes, lubed the bearings, and BING! it starts every time.
So when you think the vats is kicking in and stranding you, it could just be a starter. Go to Radio Shack, buy a really cheap, small meter, and keep it in the storage pocket behind the seat. you are gonna need it if your car is at least 20 years old and has high mileage. That meter is a good idea anyway.
