Date:         3 Jun 96 10:08:15 
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "michael.r.robison" <michael.r.robison@ArthurAndersen.com>
Subject:      click click

Sunday, we put the engine back into the bus.  ('66 bus w/ 12V '67 H engine)  
Everything looked good (and clean!) and we replaced the old 6V starter w/ a 
rebuilt 12V with the necessary bushing.  I thought the starting troubles were 
over.  The starter turned the engine easily, but it took several minutes to 
start the engine (it was sitting all winter).  Here's the question/problem:

Once we got it going, we drove it around the block and home.  Turned the engine 
off and then tried to start it immediately.  Nothing but 'click click'.  So, we 
tried to jump start it to see if perhaps the battery was the problem.  And it 
started.  But the battery had just been recharged so I can't understand how it 
was so easily killed, if that is indeed what happened.  (it's a cheapo KMart 
battery).

So, should I buy a new, more powerful battery to solve the problem or is it 
more likely a wiring problem or is the starter overheating and not starting or 
is it something else?  Argh.

Problem II.  The engine does not feel as powerful as before (we did a minor 
rebuild, new pushrod tubes, adjusted valves, etc).   Seems to be running better 
than ever while idling.  Unfortunately, the bus doesn't accelerate as quickly 
and feels like it's straining more uphill.  Could this be a compression 
problem, does it need new plugs (no we didn't replace them), what?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, 

Mike
'66 Campmobile