On Dec 7, 2013, at 11:32 AM, Derek Drew <derekdrew@DEREKMAIL.COM> wrote:

BELLHOUSING BULIMIA

(HARD STATING --  Diagnosis Bellhousing Cracked)

When I bought my Syncro in April of '02 it had a TIICO in it.
Within about a year this same thing happened to the bellhousing.
It began with a periodic labored starter turnover, then firing up.
Eventually it took on a dead or dying battery symptom because
the housing was so broken the starter was binding way off 90 degrees
and the engine wouldn't start at all.

A shop I took it to just replaced the battery, not noticing that made no difference
at all. Of course, never have returned to that shop. Had the van towed to another
shop that diagnosed the cracked bellhousing immediately and have used them
periodically since.....and got rid of the TIICO in '05.

Bob