Date:         Wed, 11 Oct 1995 14:18:14 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Terry Erb <terb@adobe.com>
Subject:      Re: engine/starter problem, advice sought:)

Might be the ground from tranny to frame if it rust/ gets loose this might
happen. I might also think if it was slow moving traffic the starter/solenoid
got hot then it might cause the starter to drag. There is multiple connections
on the solenoid one runs from the battery and the other two run to the solanoid
and the starter moter. If you cross the battery terminal to the starter motor
than just the starter will turn and not engage the solanoid.The sparks well
they remind me of the 4th of July. They are ok but can be dangerous; if you
smell gas its not a good idea to have it sparking!

Terry

On Oct 11,  1:54pm, A Brandon Smith wrote:
> 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   ****************************************
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-- End of excerpt from A Brandon Smith



-- 
Terry Erb
Adobe Systems, Inc.
x6703