Date:         Wed, 17 Aug 2005 19:33:42 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: "Hitachi" starter in a Vanagon - the real scoop
In-Reply-To:  <016401c5a2c9$8389cea0$0a0ba8c0@RON>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii

>Another benefit of the IMI starter is its higher torque. This could be
>useful if your Vanagon engine has been modified from stock, and seems to
>turn slowly with the stock Bosch starter.  As for stock engines, I'm
>wondering if it's overkill; the Bosch starter seems to have no problem
>turning the stock Vanagon engine when working correctly. Remember, IMI's
>core business is apparantly starters for racing engines and the like, which
>a stock Vanagon engine is not.

My 75 Bay's stock starter had absolutely no trouble turning a Toyota
V8. Anf my T3's likewise had no trouble turning a 1990 GM V6. I think
if any Bus starter doesn't want to turn the engine, the starter will
be found on examination to be worn.

>A third benefit is that due to its different design, it is apparantly not
>prone to the "won't start-when-hot" syndrome that plagues some Busses (and
>fewer aircooled Vanagons). The reason for this tendancy on some Busses is
>that on a Bus the battery is all the way in the back, and the current is
>routed all the way across the Bus to the ignition switch at the dash and
>then back to the engine compartment again. With 40 feet of unneccessary
>wiring, and a few extra connections along the way, it's succeptable to
>voltage drop if corrosion or wear occurs at the terminals. This can cause
>the solenoid to stick when radiant engine heat causes its sleeve to contract
>slightly. This problem is much less common on an aircooled Vanagons than on
>Busses (due, I suppose, to closer proximity of the battery to the ignition
>switch on a Vanagon), and even more rare on watercooled Vanagons.  There are
>several ways to "fix" the hot-start problem if it happens (and is not simply
>due to a worn solenoid). One is to tighten and clean all connections, which
>often solves the problem. Another is to add a relay that routes the voltage
>directly from the battery to the starter, bypassing all that excess wiring
>(the most common solution, recommended by John Muir and Gene Berg among
>others, and usually effective). I and others sell such a relay kit for under
>$20 and it's not hard to install.  A third option would be to go with the
>IMI starter, which is less succeptable to this issue. Of the three options,
>the IMI starter is the most expensive solution to the problem (which is rare
>on watercooled Vanagons, and even somewhat on aircooled ones, anyway).
>Again, this gives the IMI starter an advantage over a Bosch (at least one
>without a relay kit installed), but again perhaps it is overkill for many
>people from a value standpoint.

Rats! I thought my Bay's problem was the fuelpump pushrod sticking when hot.

IIf Hitachi starters are as good as the alternators they made for the
Nissan RD28 engine, they should be avoided like the plague. But
Nippondenso is second-to-none.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut

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