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Date:         Fri, 4 Nov 2005 10:00:28 -0500
Reply-To:     Michael Garcia <mjgarcia7@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Garcia <mjgarcia7@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: FW: Gear Reduction Starter
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Thu, 3 Nov 2005 21:00:43 -0600, Mark Magee <markbmagee@EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:

>Volks, >My starter on the 90 Carat has been turning slower as of late, such that if

>the van isn’t driven for 10 days or so it will take a jump to get that last >turn on the starter for light-off. I am considering one of those >gear-reduction starters that Go-Westy sells; he makes a compelling case for

>them. Anyone had similar probs that the gear-reduction starter solved?? >Any other solutions. I understand all starters are rebuilts now and these >can be not near as strong as the new ones were. > > > > >Mark B. Magee >90 Carat 94K MIs (Thinking of selling, but can’t…) >Kemah TX USA >---------------------------------------------------------------------------

- >-------------------------------------------------------------- >Great minds discuss ideas. >Average minds discuss events. >Small minds discuss people. >Admiral Hyman Rickover U.S. Navy

Mark,

I put in a gear reduction starter from Go-Westy about two months ago. Old one died out and the cost to rebuild it was only about $30 or $40 less than buying a brand new one. A piece of cake to install, relatively speaking. Like most cars, you still have to be something of a contorionist to get it in all right.

At first, I wasn't too impressed. It was still sounding like a dead or dying battery...slow, hard cranking. I pulled it out, took it over to the starter/alternator shop to have it tested, and it spun up like a Mixmaster. Checked the battery, and again no problem. Replaced the ground strap from the transmission, and had a marginal gain.

THEN, I figured out that the little electrons were having a hard time getting back from the starter itself. The ground return path is through the starter body and where it mounts to the engine. I took a wire brush to the mounting face and the mounting bolts, then ran a separate ground wire from one of the lower mounting bolt back to the negative terminal of the battery, and Voila and vroom vroom! It starts like new.

I don't know how well it will perform in winter yet, but living in the middle of New Hampshire, I'm sure I'll be able to provide a pretty good report of its cold weather performance.

Now, back to installing my Plat Cat Heater before it decides to snow again!

Michael


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