Wow! Nice troubleshooting job, Ken... that's about the last place I would look!

At 04:42 PM 8/9/2006 -0400, Kenneth Wilford wrote:
>I found the problem.  It had nothing to do with the starter after all.  The
>lady had this engine installed a while back and she said it had been having
>an idle problem since it was installed.  The engine would not idle when
>cold, run rough and backfire on top of the slow turning over starter.  I
>checked through all of the Digijet FI tests and swapped over a known good
>Air Flow Meter to no avail.  Finally I decided to check the valve
>adjustment.  Bingo!  The valves were adjusted super tight!  It was making
>the engine super tight and turn over too hard.  Then as soon as the lifters
>pumped up (within 30 secs after start up) the lifters were keeping the
>valves from closing all the way.  I set the valve lash to zero lash and now
>it cranks right up and idles nice!
>
>Thanks for all the help and advice.  I hope this helps someone else who is
>going through a similar dilemma.
>
>Thanks again,
>Ken Wilford
>John 3:16
>http://www.vanagain.com
>http://www.strictlyvwauctions.com
>http://www.eurovan.org
>http://www.vwcabrio.org
>Phone: (856)-327-4936
>Fax: (856)-327-2242
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: gary hradek [mailto:hradek@yahoo.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 3:16 PM
>To: Kenneth Wilford
>Subject: RE: Having a problem with a starter
>
>
>Ken,
>    Starter came with new solernoid?  right?
>How did the gears look on the old?   Look at the
>flywheel as well and move the flywheel to see if it
>moves freely.   Does the starter get hot?
>        good luck, gary
>
>--- Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > I should have checked the bushing before I put the
> > new starter in (I usually
> > do) but I was in a rush.  I am going to check that
> > next because today I
> > replaced the ground cable (new) and I ran the
> > heavier gauge positive wire
> > from the battery to the starter (new for 86-91 vans)
> > and it did nothing
> > differently.  It turns over really slow even when
> > cold.  I'll check the
> > bushing and let you know what I find.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Ken Wilford
> > John 3:16
> > http://www.vanagain.com
> > http://www.strictlyvwauctions.com
> > http://www.eurovan.org
> > http://www.vwcabrio.org
> > Phone: (856)-327-4936
> > Fax: (856)-327-2242
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: gary hradek [mailto:hradek@yahoo.com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 11:09 AM
> > To: Vanagon Mailing List
> > Cc: kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET
> > Subject: Having a problem with a starter
> >
> >
> > Ken,
> >     A ground cable could get hot because it is bad
> > but
> > it could get hot because it is pulling too heavy of
> > a
> > load.   I would start by measuring the amps and
> > comparing it to another van taking a reading at the
> > same point.   If the load is greater on the slow
> > moving van than that would suggest the cable is
> > good.
> > The bushing idea is good.   If you jump start will
> > the
> > starter turn faster or just longer?   Take care not
> > to
> > cook the new starter testing the problem and keep us
> > updated.  I do so like a good mystery.   Gary
> > Date:    Tue, 8 Aug 2006 14:46:55 -0400
> > From:    Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
> > Subject: Having a problem with a starter
> >
> > I am having a strange electrical problem with an 84
> > Vanagon GL with =
> > manual
> > transmission.  The van came in with a "not starting
> > when hot" problem =
> > and
> > also a slow spinning over starter.  I found a
> > problem
> > with the temp II
> > sensor wiring and fixed that easily.  However the
> > slow
> > spinning starter
> > =
> > has
> > me stumped at the moment.  I thought the problem was
> > just that the old
> > starter was hurt because the woman kept spinning the
> > thing over when it
> > wouldn't start.  I tried putting in new ground
> > straps
> > on the engine and
> > =
> > also
> > a new one on the transmission but this didn't help
> > at
> > all.  Next I
> > tried
> > replacing the starter with a new one and this did
> > not
> > fix the problem.
> > =
> > The
> > strange thing that I have noticed is that as I am
> > trying to crank the =
> > van
> > over the ground wire on the battery gets extremely
> > hot.  At one point
> > it =
> > was
> > smoking hot. =20
> >
> > Anyone have a clue on this one?  It seems like
> > something is shorting =
> > out,
> > but I can't figure out what that would be.  I would appreciate any =
> > advice
> > you have on this one as it is causing me much head
> > stratching.=20
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Ken Wilford
> > John 3:16
> > http://www.vanagain.com
> > http://www.strictlyvwauctions.com
> > http://www.eurovan.org
> > http://www.vwcabrio.org
> > Phone:
> > (856)-327-4936
> > Fax: (856)-327-2242=20
> >
> >
> >
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