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Date:         Wed, 11 Oct 1995 09:46:32 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "A Brandon Smith" <brandys@ichips.intel.com>
Subject:      engine/starter problem, advice sought:)

ok, here's what happened. after fixing my oil leak (yeah) i drove home from work. on the highway i felt the engine seem to hesitate or sudenly lose power in a way that made the whole bus seem like it was tugged at from behind for a second while driving. this happened a few times. then there was an accident, i wasn't involved, but while sitting and waiting for the traffic to clear the bus stalled, and i couldn't get it to start again. here's what i did after pulling the bus over to the side.

1) headlights were working nice and bright. 2) tried to start the engine, would not catch, turned over a few times but never caught. 3) checked connections on battery, starter and solenoid. banged on solenoid. 4) placed a screwdriver so as to connect the battery to the starter (as per muir) to check the starter. got a shower of sparks and think i heard the motor in the starter spin (the sparks scared me). IS THE SHOWER OF SPARKS NORMAL? i figured that the book would warn about that. oh well.

cute story happens around this time, see below if you care:)

5) so i tried occasionally to start it. till it got to the point where it would barely turn over, and then nothing more than the oil and gen lights would dim. i tried a jump for the heck of it, but the lights were bright but no start.

about this time the police decided i was a saftey hazard and forced me to move by nicely calling me a tow truck without asking and explain to me i have no choice but to be towed off the highway. you know there is an extra charge if the police call for the tow instead of you! how nice. oh well.

ANYWAY, this morning i get in and STARTS it right up. (i figured it would:)

QUESTIONS: is the flywheel stuck? i don't think so since the fan/alternator belt was spinninng when i tried to turn it over.

i plan on: 1) getting a new battery (i left the lights on all day and the battery was i little sorry before that)

2) maintenance things. new plugs and adjust the points. (what the heck, i have a tach-dwell meter now, might as well:) try and adjust the carb and such.

3) check/clean the wires on the starter, solenoid and battery. IS it possible that the solenoid is not getting enough juice from the ignition switch. what is the best way to clean the wires on the solenoid and starter, they are a little dirty.

4) check the ignition switch.

any other recomendations? ideas? i'd appreciate anything, and let me say thanks for at least reading this entire message.

STORY PART: i felt i would be safe working on the bus seeing as how there were flares and flashing police cars all over the place cleaning up from the last accident. however i hear a screeching of tires and hear them slidding on wet pavement, look to my left and from my lovely vantage point under the bus i see two care collide not ten feet away. then watch one of them moving twords me. i told that car to stop (in a lovely loud voice) and it did about 6 inches away from the bus. thank you my gardian angel:)

take care everyone, brandy -- \ / A. Brandy Smith (brandys@ichips.intel.com) \ / (503)264-4239 Pole:JF1-E18 \ X / Intel Corp MD6 networks \ / \ / **************************************** \/ \/ ***"EVERYTHING IS BETTER IN THE BUS!"*** 1973 CAMPER ****************************************


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