TECH TIP FOR MAY, 1997

ABOUT A YEAR AGO WE WARNED OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT A POTENTIAL WIRING PROBLEM EFFECTING THE STARTERS OF LATE MODEL FORD CARS & TRUCKS. THIS PROBLEM IS ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SMALL PMGR STARTER WHICH HAS A SOLENOID MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF IT. THE CUSTOMER'S COMPLAINT WILL START AS AN INTERMITTENT "CLICK" WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED AND FINALLY A COMPLETE "NO START". REPLACING THE STARTER WILL MAKE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY FOR A TIME, BUT PROBABLY IT WILL RETURN AND ANOTHER STARTER WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM  FOR A TIME AND SO IT GOES. THE PROBLEM IS MORE LIKELY THAT CORROSION HAS GOTTEN INTO THE SWITCH CONNECTOR, PREVENTING SUFFICIENT CURRENT FORM REACHING THE TERMINAL TO PULL THE SOLENOID IN PROPERLY. WHEN YOU CHANGE THE STARTER YOU DISTURB THE CONNECTOR AND FOR A TIME,UNTIL  THE CORROSION RETURNS IT WILL WORK PROPERLY.

FOR ISSUED BULLETIN 94/18/3 COVERING THIS PROBLEM, AND SAYS THAT THE ANSWER IS TO INSTALL REPAIR KIT F4VY14A411A, REPLACING THE SWITCH WIRE AND CONNECTOR. WE NOW STOCK AN AFTERMARKET VERSION OF THIS PART AND WHILE IT IS AFTERMARKET IT IS MADE WITH THE SAME COMPONENTS AS ARE IN THE ONE FROM FORD. WE WILL TRY TO REMEMBER TO INQUIRE IF YOU WANT ONE OF THESE KITS IF YOU ORDER A FORD STARTER BUT IN CASE WE FORGET YOU WILL HAVE TO REMEMBER TOO.

ONE OF THE REBUILDERS IN THE USA REPORTS THAT THE 1997 CADILLAC CAN (READ AT EXTRA COST) BE EQUIPPED WITH THE OnStar SYSTEM. AND WHAT YOU MAY ASK IS THE ADVANTAGE OF THE OnStar SYSTEM? WELL, IF YOU ARE LOST, A TOUCH OF THE BUTTON WILL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH A REAL LIVE PERSON, WHO WILL USE A GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITE TO TELL YOU WHERE YOU ARE, HOW TO GET TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO GET TO HOSPITALS, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND SERVICE FACILITIES. IF YOUR KIDS OR DOG LOCKS YOUR KEYS IN THE CAR WHILE JUMPING AROUND INSIDE, NOT TO WORRY. A SIMPLE PHONE CALL AND THE MESSAGE FROM HEAVEN WILL TAKE ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO TELL THE CAR TO UNLOCK ITS DOORS. IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT WHICH DEPLOYS THE AIR BAG, THE SYSTEM WILL ALERT THE CENTER AND A PHONE CALL WILL BE PLACED TO THE DRIVER. SHOULD THE DRIVER FAIL TO ANSWER THE CALL WITHIN 10 MINUTES, THE CENTER WILL ALERT THE POLICE AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

THE REBUILDER GOES ON TO SAY THAT WITH ALL THESE ADVANCEMENTS IT'S TOO BAD THAT THEY CAN'T BUILD A SYSTEM THAT WILL TELL THE DRIVER THAT THE MAIN RECTIFIER IS OVERHEATING AND REFER HIM TO THE NEAREST REPAIR FACILITY, BEFORE IT LEAVES HIM STRANDED.

THE SAME MAN GIVES A REALLY GREAT TECH TIP REGARDING GM VEHICLES USING THE 2.3L "QUAD 4" ENGINE. APPARENTLY THESE ARE A REAL JOY TO CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE CRAMPED LOCATION. AFTER CHANGING THE STARTER THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE WILL CRANK BUT NOT START. FROM MY SIDE OF THE COUNTER THE CONVERSATION IS SOMETHING LIKE THIS "IT MUST BE SOMETHING YOUR STARTER DID, BECAUSE THE CAR RAN PROPERLY BEFORE THE NEW STARTER WAS INSTALLED!"

MOST LIKELY, BECAUSE OF THE CRAMPED QUARTERS, ONCE THE TWO MOUNTING BOLTS ARE OUT AND THE STARTER IS PULLED BACK, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU SHEARED OFF THE CRANK POSITIONING SENSOR (CPS), BECAUSE IT'S LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE STARTER. REPLACING THE CPS IS NOT EASY BECAUSE IT ALMOST ALWAYS BREAKS OFF FLUSH WITH THE BLOCK AND IS MADE OF A VERY HARD MAGNET WHICH MAKES DRILLING A CHORE. IT IS APPARENTLY EASIER TO REMOVE THE OIL PAN AND PUSH THE REMAINS OF THE SENSOR OUT FROM THE INSIDE. THIS MUST BE A REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT SENSOR WILL HAVE A 90 DEGREE HEAD TO AVOID INTERFERING WITH STARTER REPLACEMENT.

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS WE HAVE SEEN ABOUT 6 INSTANCES WHERE FORD IAR ALTERNATORS (THE ONES WITH THE DOUBLE PLUGS) WILL CHARGE, TURN THE LIGHT OUT, BUT NOT STAND A LOAD OF ALMOST ANY SORT. IN ALL CASES THE ANSWER HAS BEEN TO STRIP THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE LARGER OF THE TWO PLUGS BACK ABOUT TWO FEET AND LOCATE THE JUNCTION WHERE THE TWO WIRES OF THE PLUG BECOME THE ONE WIRE WHICH RUNS BACK TO THE SOLENOID. THIS CONNECTION IS SO PRONE TO CORROSION THAT I RECOMMEND THAT EVERY TIME YOU HAVE TO SERVICE ONE OF THESES ALTERNATORS, THAT YOU LOOK FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT WILL TAKE A FEW MINUTES LONGER BUT IT THE LONG RUN IT WILL PROBABLY SAVE YOU, YOUR CUSTOMER, AND ME A PILE OF GRIEF.

IN VIEW OF THE, SO FAR, UNDERWHELMING RESPONSE TO THE JUNE TECH SEMINAR, I AM INCLUDING A SECOND COPY OF THE REGISTRATION FORM. REGISTRATION MUST BE MADE BY THE END OF MAY IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND.