Date:         Sat, 14 Aug 2004 12:37:47 -0700
Reply-To:     swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA>
Subject:      Water in starter housing?
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Hello all,

Part way through our 3 week trip, the starter in our '88 Westy started acting up - just an
intermittent click every so often, which I assumed was a bad connection somewhere. Then,
while enroute from Calgary to Salmon Arm, the started died completely in the Rockies.
Fortunately I was able to push start it. I checked all the wiring, and was suspected a failed
ignition switch, but it all checked out. I pulled the starter, and found moisture in the end
bushing cap... hmmm. Then I pulled the long housing bolts and was shocked to find about
1/2 ounce of rusty water pouring out! The inside was totally corroded - it was amazing that it
had worked at all. I cleaned it all up, put it back together, but the solenoid wouldn't pull. So I
pulled it apart again, including the solenoid (which was rusty also), put it back, and it
worked. :-)

I can think of two time when I could have got water in the starter - one in May while crossing
a creek, and one last September, on the same creek. The starter would not have been
submerged, but I supposed water could have entered the bellhousing and got thrown in that
way...
Has anyone seen this problem before? I'm wondering if drilling a drain hole might be a good
idea, since the water can get it, but doesn't seem to be able to drain out.