Date:         Wed, 15 Sep 2010 19:58:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Starter: it's one or another
Comments: To: dhundt@bendbroadband.com
In-Reply-To:  <f6b5d2892adc.4c9145fb@bendbroadband.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Fine piece o' advice! Many thanks.


--
Rocky J Squirrel


On Wed, 2010-09-15 at 22:17 -0400, dhundt@bendbroadband.com wrote:
> before you buy, run down to your friendly local Les Schwab, have them load test the battery. They won't charge you, but will happily sell you a battery if it's bad.
> Don
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
> Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 9:38 pm
> Subject: Starter: it's one or another
>
> > On our recent trip, I noticed that Mellow Yellow's starter had
> > quite a
> > bit of hesitation when the engine was warm. Turning the key would
> > resultin a single "chug," then a pause, then "chug, chug, chug"
> > and the engine
> > would start.
> >
> > This is not new, it's been going on for a couple years at least, and
> > it's getting worse.
> >
> > Two possibilities come to mind: high resistance in the starter motor
> > main current path, or weak starter battery.
> >
> > I am in agreement with David Beierl that fat copper cables don't "wear
> > out" or develop high resistances due to age. Without damage to the
> > insulation, the copper will be fine. The transmission's ground
> > strap was
> > just re-tightened when the transmission was pulled and replaced.
> >
> > Besides -- should a warm engine be easier, not harder, to turn over?
> >
> > I lean toward the theory that the starter battery is getting long
> > in the
> > tooth. Those things do wear out.
> >
> > Unless someone talks me down, I'm just going to go out and buy a
> > replacement.
> >
> > --
> > Rocky J Squirrel
> > '84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> > '74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> > Bend, OR
> > KG6RCR
> >