Date:         Sun, 7 Jul 1996 23:57:30 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         bighouse@socomm.net (Ken Hooper)
Subject:      Re hot solenoid not kicking


Mike Benthin:

>Otherwise, if I'm not on a hill, I get underneath with my
>trusting 14g wire with alligator clips on each end and
>attach one end to the pull-off connector on the solenoid
>(red wire goes to it), and touch the other end to the HOT
>terminal from batter to starter- it should try to kick over.

I'm sure this goes without saying, but look: this kinda stuff scares me.
I'm completely paranoid about having trucks drop on me (I don't even trust
jackstands, I put bricks under the frame after I get the jackstands
situated) and yet twice this year I've had the truck fall off a jack.
Thought the parking brake would hold it, it didn't, etc.

When you jump the starter like this, your chest (or your head) is under a
drive wheel. Right? All you have to do is leave it in gear once, and you
become a casualty in a Roadrunner cartoon. If you won't fix the starter
right, at least squirm up from the rear to hot-wire it so you're not under
the wheel.

<sermon over. please help yourself to cookies and hawiian punch in the lobby.>

--Ken
  68 Westy, 71 Bus