Help: '74 bus builds up crud too fast.
David Hansen
gone away. Basically the battery terminals build up a layer of
crud or oxidation quickly which prevents the car from turning over.
A few months ago I bought some terminal cleaner (chemical and physical)
and gave the terminals a good cleaning and then reconnected
everything nice and tight. Yesterday I took a 90 minute trip and
when we went to return the thing wouldn't turn over. No click from the
solenoid or anything, but plenty of power for lights etc. And yes,
turning the ignition does dim the interior lights.
Anyway the solution, as usual, was to remove the battery connectors
and clean the terminals as best I could and sort of wiggle the
connectors back onto the posts to get a better connection. Having
done that, the car starts like a champ. We drive for about 20 minutes,
stop and get gas, and then the rest of the 70 minutes home. Of course
when I get home it again wont start and no amount of simple cleaning
seems to make a good enough connection.
I guess I'm wondering two things. First, does the cause lie elsewhere,
like the voltage regulator or perhaps the starter gets to hot (I'm a
little suspicious since I get lights but not even a solenoid click).
Second, Anybody had similar problems, or any suggestions? Is this
related to heat in the engine compartment (I went months without any
problems, but one longer trip and it flares up again).
Any help would be appreciated!
- David
Joshua Poulson
were grinding metal. Either I'm an insane driver, Philadelphia is rough
on cars, or the stock brakes on a Fox aren't enough. Does anyone have
any advice they can offer in this arena? Replace the pads every 7500?
Are different (better) pads available? Should I buy a Corrodo?
Thanks for the advice, the loudest Fox in existence doesn't deserve to
squeal, only to ROCK&ROLL!
--
Joshua R. Poulson (NIC handle: JRP8) [Joshua.R...@cyber.Widener.EDU]
Systems Programmer, Widener University [pou...@cs.Widener.EDU]
Operator
|> I just took my '90 Fox in for it's 15,000 mile checkup and my brakes
|> were grinding metal. Either I'm an insane driver, Philadelphia is rough
|> on cars, or the stock brakes on a Fox aren't enough. Does anyone have
|> any advice they can offer in this arena?
Get new pads.
|> Replace the pads every 7500?
What, you're not using synthetic pads? :-)
|> Are different (better) pads available?
Yes. Try Repco Metalmasters. Better yet, call your favorite aftermarket
outfit, and they can make the best recommendation to suit your particular
driving style and needs.
|> Should I buy a Corrodo?
No. You should buy ME a Corrado.
|>
|> Thanks for the advice, the loudest Fox in existence doesn't deserve to
|> squeal, only to ROCK&ROLL!
Sounds like you need new struts and some beefier anti-sway bars. ;->
|> --
|> Joshua R. Poulson
Kenneth
finn...@navo.navy.mil
"Here's to you and here's to me, true friends may we always be,
but if by chance we disagree, to hell with you and here's to me!"
-Irish toast
David Hansen
the bus this morning I tried starting it without touching ANYTHING
first and it started right up! When I left it last night I couldn't
even get the solenoid to click. Sounds like a heat related problem.
One other piece of information is that I tend to notice that I get
a lot of whine in my radio (RF I suppose) when this problem is
manifesting itself. Last year I'd listen to the whine in order to
predict that the problem was going to show up that day.
- David
--
David M. Hansen | Department of Computer Science and Engineering
| Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology
dha...@cse.ogi.edu | 19600 N.W. Von Neumann Drive
(503) 690-1121 ext 7367 | Beaverton, OR 97006-1999
Brutus Thornapple
Mine had 90% of its pads left at 15K. Today with 33K there's still lots of
pad left.
Stuart Kreitman
the case is cracked right where the terminals go thru. Can you wiggle them?
Are you losing water level? If this is a sealed battery design, a cracked
condition could be fatal (to the battery)
You may have luck applying heavy grease or vaseline all over the terminals
and connectors. Even in a corrosive environment (brought on by electrolyte
leakage) the terminals should stay clean.
This is common maintenance instructions on older cars.
--
Get uncle Ken to give back my 1980 badge number: 126438
Stuart Kreitman (415) 493-6912
Faster Raster Software Engineering
767 Loma Verde Ave, Suite D
Palo Alto, CA 94303
_______________ __o
_________________ -\<,
......O/ O
Joshua Poulson
>Mine had 90% of its pads left at 15K. Today with 33K there's still lots of
>pad left.
All that shows is that we drive in different environments. I had the
beast serviced yesterday. They replaced all the pads (there was 10%
left on the rear and 0% left on the front) the front brakes, and the
front right rotor. Warranty is great but it won't last forever. :)
The point of my posting was to find a source for aftermarket pads that
are suited for my environment, not for general pleasure use.
I commute 20 miles a day in stop-and-go pothole-in-Philadelphia-streets
avoid-the-idiot-with-no-insurance nightmare-on-City-Line-Ave. I don't
recommend the experience to anyone.
(Esp. since my insurance is more than my car payment)
Later,
Bill Kuykendall
>Ah ha, I have another piece of info on my problem. When I go to
>the bus this morning I tried starting it without touching ANYTHING
>first and it started right up! When I left it last night I couldn't
>even get the solenoid to click. Sounds like a heat related problem.
>One other piece of information is that I tend to notice that I get
>a lot of whine in my radio (RF I suppose) when this problem is
>manifesting itself. Last year I'd listen to the whine in order to
>predict that the problem was going to show up that day.
I'd check the braided grounding strap between the transaxle and the body
near the shifter housing.
James M. Wells
>dha...@ogicse.ogi.edu (David Hansen) writes:
>
>>Ah ha, I have another piece of info on my problem. When I go to
>>the bus this morning I tried starting it without touching ANYTHING
>>first and it started right up! When I left it last night I couldn't
>>even get the solenoid to click. Sounds like a heat related problem.
I haven't followed all of this thread, but I have had similar starting
problems with VWs.
The solenoid can stick if it gets very hot. Tapping it with a hammer
will sometimes unstick it. Generally letting it cool overnight will
also do the trick.
James M. Wells, Florida Institute of Technology
150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32901. +1 407 768 8000 x7285
we...@zach.fit.edu
Volney Spalding
>In article <1991Sep23....@point.uucp> w...@point.uucp (Bill Kuykendall) writes:
>>dha...@ogicse.ogi.edu (David Hansen) writes:
>>
>>>Ah ha, I have another piece of info on my problem. When I go to
>>>the bus this morning I tried starting it without touching ANYTHING
>>>first and it started right up! When I left it last night I couldn't
>>>even get the solenoid to click. Sounds like a heat related problem.
>
>I haven't followed all of this thread, but I have had similar starting
>problems with VWs.
>The solenoid can stick if it gets very hot. Tapping it with a hammer
>will sometimes unstick it. Generally letting it cool overnight will
>also do the trick.
I also had this problem. You can overide the ignition circuit by
jumping both posts of the solenoid with a screwdriver. Make sure
the key is on, shifter is in NEUTRAL, squirm under the right side
of the car, reach up, jump the starter, and experience the thrill
of the motor whirring away inches from your left cheek. Oh yes
be sure the brake is on as well.
Another strategy to avoid replacing the starter/solenoid until you
really have to is to wire a starter button directly to the solenoid
from the battery or voltage regulator. It's been a while since I did
this so the exact proceedure is fuzzy, but I believe you can find it
in the Idiot Book. The basic idea is that a direct jolt from the
battery is enough to unstick the solenoid. The juice delivered
from the regular ignition circuit by turning the key is less juice and
not enough to break it loose.
I wired the button just inside the engine compartment so that if
the solenoid stuck I could just get out of the car, lift the hatch,
push the button, and off I went. This was better than crawling under
the car with clean clothes on!
On the other hand you could just replace the starter and not worry about
it!
Vol
Don T. Borowski
>
>Ah ha, I have another piece of info on my problem. When I go to
>the bus this morning I tried starting it without touching ANYTHING
>first and it started right up! When I left it last night I couldn't
>even get the solenoid to click. Sounds like a heat related problem.
>
>a lot of whine in my radio (RF I suppose) when this problem is
>manifesting itself. Last year I'd listen to the whine in order to
>predict that the problem was going to show up that day.
>
>
>--
> David M. Hansen | Department of Computer Science and Engineering
> | Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology
> dha...@cse.ogi.edu | 19600 N.W. Von Neumann Drive
>(503) 690-1121 ext 7367 | Beaverton, OR 97006-1999
The whine in the radio is just another manifestation of the poor battery
contact problem. What you are hearing is alternator whine. The source is
the current pulsations caused by the rectified AC from the alternator. The
battery (when well connected) acts like a filter, reducing the pulsations.
To keep my battery connections good and tight, I scrape the battery posts
and the inside of the battery clamps. After I put everything back
together, I cover the posts and clamps with petroleum jelly.
Also, don't forget to check the connections of the battery cables at the ends
away from the battery. Things go bad here too, and the wiggling they get
when you mess with them at the battery end may be enought to re-establish
connection (for a little while).
Donald Borowski WA6OMI Hewlett-Packard, Spokane Division
"Angels are able to fly because they take themselves so lightly."
-G.K. Chesterton