Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2012 08:56:04 -0800
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Wont start
In-Reply-To: <50b33cf3.023a310a.0b0e.2fe4@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I'm sure David's experienced all of these, including the last one! Probably
all on the same day.
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
David Beierl
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2012 1:57 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Wont start
At 07:34 PM 11/25/2012, Harry Hoffman wrote:
>flywheel to turn the engine over. Even though the van is now at the
>shop I'd like to know the proper way to state the problem. As the way I
>stated and then tried to clarify it started out confusing and the added
>more confusion on top of it. Cheers, Harry
Hi Harry -
"turn over" is a good one to avoid because some people interpret it as
"rotate" but to others it means "fire up and start."
"Crank" is universally understood as "rotate" (because you used to actually
use a crank to do it) so some would say "it cranks but it won't turn over."
Better to say "cranks but doesn't start."
I'm pretty sure that if you said "The starter runs away" everyone would
understand it as "Starter spins but doesn't engage" but the second form is
unequivocal.
So on a rough continuum, when you turn the key:
a) Nothing happens. Interior lights no change.
b) Interior lights go out.
b) There's a click but lights don't dim abnormally
c) There's a click and lights dim/go out
d) Starter runs away
e) Engine cranks slowly/irregularly, dying, lights dim/go out.
f) Engine cranks slowly/irregularly, continuing, lights dim abnormally.
g) Engine cranks slowly/irregularly, continuing, lights don't dim abnormally
h) Engine cranks normally/vigorously, lights dim normally.
i) Engine cranks abnormally quickly and easily.
j) Engine kicks back against starter.
k) Engine cranks (some form above), "tries to start" i.e. fires irregularly
but won't catch.
l) Engine cranks, starts, stops when key is released.
m) Engine cranks without effect, starts when key is released.
n) Engine cranks, starts with difficulty.
o) Engine cranks, starts normally.
p) Starter doesn't disengage after engine start.
q) LGM surround vehicle and kidnap you to overhead UFO where you examined,
found worthy (of course) and crowned king of LGM. Don't drink the water.
The three basic areas for hard cranking are:
- not enough supply current (battery, cables, connections including grounds,
starter solenoid contacts, starter internally shorted so it takes too much
current but has reduced output).
- starter mechanical problems (including external pinion bearing on
manual-transmission vans) or internally shorted.
- engine requires too much effort to crank (mechanical problems, cold,
timing advanced too far, starter too small for engine).
Yours,
David
