Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 07:37:56 -0500
Reply-To: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: FW: Gear Reduction Starter
In-Reply-To: <005501c5e0eb$f2609740$6401a8c0@IBM92F477862D4>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
I just installed one of these gear reduction starters (from GoWesty) on
a customer's 90 Automatic Vanagon and I will tell you what I found with
it. Since it is a gear reduction starter it is trying to make more
torque. It does this by turning the engine over exactly half as fast as
the stock Bosch starter! In my opinion this is not desirable. The
waterboxer engine is not a high compression engine so it really doesn't
need the extra torque. However anyone who has had problems cold
starting a vehicle (particularly the diesel people) will tell you that
the speed at which the starter turns over is the important thing. Since
the high torque starters turn at half the normal speed of a stock
starter, they would actually be worse at cold starting that the stock.
Saying that, my customer's van always starts right up after cranking for
a second or two. However it is not really cold yet and the van has a
brand new engine with many new fuel injection components. If you had an
older engine with less compression or a cranky fuel injection, I think
you would find the van would crank longer on cold days.
So I am sticking with the stock Bosch starters. They seem to not be
broke, so why fix them?
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
Mark Magee 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
>
>
>
