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Date:         Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:09:11 -0500
Reply-To:     Ry <rylincoln@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ry <rylincoln@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Symptoms of a bad starter?
Comments: To: craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTinKsszqpi=kwgDTamAKoz9EB79B3buUCEUpAyLJ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I didn't have space to run through the same grommet. I enlarged the hole a little bit and replaced the grommet with some heater hose wrapping around both cables. Not as nice as the grommet but I feel it is protected.

Near the bottom of this page you can calculate voltage drops for various size/characteristics http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

I think my cable was labelled in a confusing manner. The cable was labelled and sold as #2 and #4.....#2 was bigger than #4 however 4/0 is bigger than 2/0 so I think I described it backwards in a previous post where I stated that I used 4/0 for the short alternator-----starter run and 2/0 for the rest.

What I should have said is that I used #4 for Alt-----Starter and #2 for the rest and I'm not sure what AWG it was. But the stuff is "beefy", a technical term we all understand, but have various interpretations of. :)

-Ry http://www.google.com/profiles/rylincoln

On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 6:58 AM, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> wrote:

> So i'm going to go get some cable and make the run. > Would you guys all suggest 2/0? Or can something thinner be used (since > it's > running parallell). > If you leave the old cable in place, how do you route up the new one into > the battery box? Is there space sufficient to run it through the same > grommet, or must you drill a new hole? > > Thanks! > > -Craig > '85GL turned WESTY > BOSTIG in the back > '87 SUNROOF Syncro > > > On Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 9:35 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans < > scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote: > > > if the symptom is slow hard cranking ... > > and it was always fine 'before' .. > > and the starter is a known to be very old .. > > it's not hard to look inside them. > > the come apart pretty cleverly actually. > > > > I can just 'see' the rear cover, over the brushes... > > about a few spoonfuls of old brush material laying in there. > > > > and if you are going to upgrade battery cables ..like the main one .. > > you can just add another in parallel, and keep the old one in place. > > > > the starter main terminal, the alternator main terminal, and battery > > positive post are all in common of course. > > on my 85...I was missing a whole volt of charging voltage at the battery > .. > > I ran a cable from alternator main terminal to battery positive ..and > that > > sure helped - fixed it totally. > > > > my thoughts are you old starter is 'too tired' . > > > > Scott > > www.turbovans.com > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "craig cowan" <phishman068@GMAIL.COM> > > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > > Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 5:49 PM > > Subject: Re: Symptoms of a bad starter? > > > > > > > > So if you run a new cable, you just run it strait from the battery to > the > >> starter? > >> Do you remove the old one? Does the old one go exclusively from the > >> battery > >> strait to the charger? > >> > >> So, you would get a piece of wire, with the same battery post clamp on > one > >> end? (And the eye on the other). > >> > >> -Craig > >> > >> > >> > >> On Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 12:07 PM, Ry <rylincoln@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > >> I had similar problems on my 2.1. My solution, which may or may not > work > >>> for you, was to run parallel cables at the following locations. > >>> Battery <----------------------------> starter ~ 11 feet > >>> Front Transmission <---------> Body ~ 8 inches (make sure not to > >>> connect > >>> just to the transmission mount bolts as this is electrically insulated > >>> from > >>> the rest of the engine/transmission assembly by the rubber mount) > >>> Alternator <---------> Starter ~2.5 feet > >>> > >>> All cables made from 2/0 purchased from welding supply and crimp > >>> connected > >>> to closed ring connectors found in the same supply store. > >>> > >>> My van starts with ZERO hesitation now and turns over super quick. > Before > >>> I couldn't get it to turn over and jumping it would barely work. > >>> > >>> MIGHT be your whole problem or just PART of the problem. The other > >>> things > >>> mentioned about the brushes wearing out are also a likely culprit. > >>> > >>> -Ry > >>> http://www.google.com/profiles/rylincoln > >>> > >>> > >>> On Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 10:13 AM, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> > >>> wrote: > >>> > >>> > So, my starter is a randomly picked, untested 1.9 starter that was in > a > >>> > pile > >>> > of them some years ago. > >>> > > >>> > Lately, the bus simply won't start. I get great power to all the > >>> > accessories, the battery appears to be holding and charging just > fine, > >>> but > >>> > the thing just won't turn over fast enough to be of any value. I've > >>> cleaned > >>> > all my grounds, I've tightened all my leads, and yet.... no dice. > >>> > Jumping the battery off another car no longer has any effect. > >>> > > >>> > I'm starting to think my starter is a bad egg. Any thoughts? > >>> > What type of symptoms would be expected from a failing starter....if > >>> other > >>> > than what I described? > >>> > > >>> > -Craig > >>> > > >>> > >>> > > >


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