| Author | Message | ||
| Buddy Tennison (Buddyten)
Registered Member Username: Buddyten Post Number: 31 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 207.68.235.83 Rating: |
A couple of weeks back, I posted about Starting Problems. You guys were very helpful with your advice, and I thought I would give you an update. I went through, like all suggested all electrical connections, cleaned/greased/tightened and tested. I still had no starting from the cockpit. I then took my trusty voltmeter and started trying to track it down, starting in the cockpit. I traced it all back to the starter relay, etc. All the power was good to there, but I got no power to the starter solenoid. Making the assumption that the starter relay was bad, I began to take it off to go get another. IT WAS THEN THAT I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. I sure hate to admit this, but the problem was that the starter disconnect switch had been turned off. I don't know if all Eagles have it, but mounted right underneath the starter relay is a toggle switch that disonnects all power to the starter (I can only assume that it is there in case the starter locks up and can be disconnected quickly). Anyway, I turned the toggle switch on, and guess what? I now can start from the cockpit. Apparently, during our movement around in testing and checking wires previously, we accidentally turned this off. It was pretty well concealed, so we didn't know it was there. I FEEL KINDA STUPID IN REPORTING THIS, BUT LET'S GET THE TRUTH OUT. I know I have an awful lot to learn, and if you guys don't mind some occassional stupidity, maybe I'll just make it after all. Thanks for all your help. | ||
| JC Alacoque (Jc_alacoque)
Registered Member Username: Jc_alacoque Post Number: 35 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 74.127.203.95 Rating: N/A |
Well, I'm glad these kind of things happen to other people, not just me, ha, ha! Onward... | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 606 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.117.21 Rating: N/A |
HOW do you think the rest of us know about the remote switches that have had coaches for a while? Look at it this way...now you know too...AND won't forget. BTW, sometimes those switches can cause a no start because they haven't been used for a long time and get some dirt build up on the contacts. | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 176 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.125.20.35 Rating: N/A |
At least you let us know how it turned out. The only people who dont make mistakes are the ones who dont do anything. Now if we just knew what the outcome of the overheat in Atlantic City turned out. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 388 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 63.97.117.23 Rating: N/A |
Buddy, Thanks for your report of the cause and solution, wish more posters would do this. GMCs have a starter cutoff switch plus and engine shutdown switch in the rear. Don't ask how I know this either! I doubt that your switch will help if the solenoid sticks and the starter motor won't stop. You said relay but I wonder if you mean the solenoid. The relay triggers the solenoid which actually engages the starter motor with the ring gear. In any case, the usual reason for starters not disengaging is when the contacts in the solenoid fuse together. So, a switch on either the relay or solenoid won't make any difference since the solenoid is hooked directly to the battery. You can see where I'm going with this-the only thing that will save you from a starter not disengaging is a battery cutoff at the battery or directly inline with the cable to the starter. The reason for the starter relay/solenoid cutoff switch is so a mechanic working at the rear of the bus can be sure that the bus cannot be started from the front by someone not knowing he is working back there. | ||
| Don Evans (Doninwa)
Registered Member Username: Doninwa Post Number: 43 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 65.61.96.82 Rating: N/A |
Sounds to me like you have discovered a very good anti-theft device. Ain't nobody going to start your bus if you don't tell them the secret!  You have also taught yourself how to trouble shoot many of the circuits used in buses. They do like their relays. You will relearn this a few more times before you are finished. Next thing you know, you will be designing your own circuits with relays. I would say time well spent. | ||
| niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Registered Member Username: Niles500 Post Number: 748 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 72.91.107.56 Rating: N/A |
Buddy - an honest man bears no shame - thanks for being honest - we've ALL BTDT - | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
Registered Member Username: Muddog16 Post Number: 353 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 4.224.243.84 Rating: N/A |
Just think of all the experience you have gained while working on your problem, this is knowledge gained, each and every time you gain more knowledge....you become more confident...the best part is "You" found it! | ||
| David (Davidinwilmnc)
Registered Member Username: Davidinwilmnc Post Number: 173 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 152.20.216.103 Rating: N/A |
I spent quite a bit of time last summer trying to figure out why my MC-8 wouldn't start. I knew nobody had flipped the emergencey shut down switch. I didn't know that I had evidently bumped the lever on top of the engine and caused the damper / flap to drop. It was like '... hmmm, I don't think I've noticed this thing in that position before'. Once the emergency shut down lever was reset, that old 8V-71 fired right up, as always! It was especially aggravating that I discussed this problem with some of my non-bus friends. They really had a lot of faith in me after that! David | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 28 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 64.40.223.242 Rating: N/A |
So far I have experienced both problems. Still working on finding more. Experience is just another way of solving problems. | ||
| Jim Wilke (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 149 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 69.77.144.142 Rating: N/A |
I too have been bitten by both of those dogs. (I did them to myself.) These things can drive a "Nut" nuts. Often we are too close to the issue to see clearly. I have just resolved an issue on my Eagle where I couldn't start from the front while the alternator regulator was connected. If I rigged a jumper switch, the bus would start, but the volts would swing wildly while relays clicked & clacked front & back. I had blowers running with the key off. Turns out that when I removed & rebuilt the 50DN alternator, I connected the "gen indicator" wire to the field terminal along with the field wire. So when I turned the key on, the regulator sent voltage to the field, it back fed the "gen indicator" circuit which caused all kinds of havoc. It told the starter protection circuit that the engine was already running, thus preventing a start. I only found this because I couldn't understand why disconnecting the field wire from the reg made the problems go away, and I thought the field wire must be shorted to something else. Well, it was, but I did it due to the difficulty in installing the alternator. You are working through a 12" x 24" hatch & the back of the alt is where you can't see it. Jim-Bob |
