before you buy, run down to your friendly local Les Schwab, have them load test the battery. They won't charge you, but will happily sell you a battery if it's bad.
Don

----- Original Message -----
From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 9:38 pm
Subject: Starter: it's one or another

> On our recent trip, I noticed that Mellow Yellow's starter had
> quite a
> bit of hesitation when the engine was warm. Turning the key would
> resultin a single "chug," then a pause, then "chug, chug, chug"
> and the engine
> would start.
>
> This is not new, it's been going on for a couple years at least, and
> it's getting worse.
>
> Two possibilities come to mind: high resistance in the starter motor
> main current path, or weak starter battery.
>
> I am in agreement with David Beierl that fat copper cables don't "wear
> out" or develop high resistances due to age. Without damage to the
> insulation, the copper will be fine. The transmission's ground
> strap was
> just re-tightened when the transmission was pulled and replaced.
>
> Besides -- should a warm engine be easier, not harder, to turn over?
>
> I lean toward the theory that the starter battery is getting long
> in the
> tooth. Those things do wear out.
>
> Unless someone talks me down, I'm just going to go out and buy a
> replacement.
>
> --
> Rocky J Squirrel
> '84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> '74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR
>