

| Subject: | starter changed - thanks for help |
| Date: | Wed, 20 Sep 95 10:06:55 +0200 |
Hello, thanks to all who responded so quickly to my cry for help. I found a "scrapyard" that had the correct starter for about $60. I think that's good compared to the PartsPlace catalog I received. By the way, you ought to see scrapyards in Switzerland! Walked into a *large* basement warehouse where hundreds of engines and other motor parts were hanging from metal structures that ran the whole length and width of the place (maybe 50m x 100m). They were classified by type of car part, then by origin of manufacturer (Germany, Japan, US), then by manufacturer, then by model, etc.. I asked for the starter I needed (apparently the WasserBoxer is a Type 2 engine, they'd never heard of a type 3). The guy walked off and came back 15 seconds later with a starter. From it hung a tag describing the model of the vehicle it had come from, its serial number, year and *colour*!! The mechanic stuck the part in a vice and sent power through it faster than I could notice how he did it, showing me that the starter was spinning. Basically, I was out of there with a starter in 5 minutes flat. Gotta say, I was impressed. I was doubly thrilled when I found out that a pair of hydraulic "hatch-holders" from an earlier model of VW bus fit onto and held up my rear door just fine, despite the fact that the inner and outer parts were reversed. I felt a lot better with the new hydraulic things installed than standing under a door held up by a vice-grip, threatening to break my legs if the vice-grip slipped. The starter was pretty easy to change, except for an allan-key hole that was filled with rust. I'm happy to say that my first repair on the van was successful and Brian is happy that he no longer has to push so we can go anywhere. Thanks again to: Joel Walker Tim Smith brad brian verbeek Jack Reed Martha Jim Davis J. A. McEachern Darie Westfalia '86
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