Date:         Thu, 22 May 1997 06:31:36 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         kelphoto@mail.bright.net (mark keller)
Subject:      Re: Slow starting when hot

>Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 06:30:38 -0400
>To:Gcarlen@aol.com
>From:kelphoto@bright.net (mark keller)
>Subject:Re: Slow starting when hot
>
>Gregg your reply:
>
> The whir is a weak attempt at the engine turning over.  Te bendix engages
>>and the starter turns the engine, but it turns as if the battery was almost
>>dead.  Starter and solenoid are usually replaced together as I did in this
>>case.
>>
>-Gregg
>
>Well if your starter is engaged, then the secondary electrical componets,
>ingition switch, solenoid and the intial relay function of connecting the
>starter and the battery are doing their job. The primary components, the
>starter motor and the battery are where the problems are.  This primary
>electrical circuit depends on the ground strap, etc and a starter relay to
>transfer the battery power to the starter motor. It sounds like the
>current flow is being reduce by either a poor ground or other mechanical
>connection, or the relay is not passing the battery power on to the
>starter cable. Since I can't visably see your system, you'll want to
>inspect this primary electrical circuit.
>
>Since heat is involved, my priorty would be componets closer to the engine
>or that are warm.  Guessing the starter relay first. Two contacts have to
>pass the current from the battery to the starter. Two larger wire
>connections and then one or two smaller wires from the ingition switch or
>relay.  I would then mover to perhaps the ground strap connection beneath
>the strap and next to the frame and the other end the motor.  I've seen
>this one vibrate lose on my car.  Ditti at the battery post.
>
>It's a good Idea to cover the complete primary system, since were talking
>about a need to pass 400 plus amps, and ensure all of the cables etc are
>properly attached, I feel you've covered this but am mentioning it any
>way.
>
>Seems I read a recent note that decscribe wires that were bent, and thus
>resistance was high, creating a hot spot in the wiring harness, that
>affected the starting of the vehilce. This may of been directed to you, I
>don't know list members well enough to remember who said what to whom.
>
>On the bizzare side, and I've seen bizarre, an engine accsessory that was
>"draging" cause the "fluke".  So if your still stumped, and the primary
>seems solid, you could look at the startee, the motor. There are a couple
>of ways to go here.  You could poke around with turning the motor over
>with a breaker bar etc to see if the sucker is difficult to turn, since
>having a 400 amp load meter may be impracticle. By this I mean you could
>have shunt, I've got one, that hooks to an engine analyzer, to see if the
>primary system is pushing 400 amps into the starter. Repairs shops I've
>been in do this.  We can quickly isolate whether or not the start system
>or the motor is the troubled child. You could call a shop ahead, and
>describe this ask for a cost to have them do it, takes just a minute to
>hook up the little box to the battery. Then git er hot and head that way.
>
>
>After rereading this note, time wise I think I'd call the repair shop
>first, since its a quickee, gas stations are good at this. Don't let em
>work on it of course, just call around until you locate someone who can do
>it when you drive up. You should be in and out in 10 or so minutes. Then
>you can move onto the other items I mentioned.
>
>Mark Keller
>91' Carat
>
>
>