Dead Again...

[RonMacPherson]

Doc, we are all "suppositioning" here. But I agree with you being on the right track as far as increased resistance.

BUT, it may not be internal in the starter. He said he cleaned a cable and it started again.

My experience with these "rrr-rrr'ers' when warm has been external cable terminal looseness, corrosion buildup, etc...

So, before he goes internal in the starter, I would recommend pulling the battery terminals and scraping the posts and terminals clean, tightening them, checking, unloosening bolts and retightening each of the ground bolts, battery positive nut, make sure the negative cable grounds at both the frame and the firewall bolt.

 

[DrEntropy]

BUT, it may not be internal in the starter. He said he cleaned a cable and it started again.

My experience with these "rrr-rrr'ers' when warm has been external cable terminal looseness, corrosion buildup, etc...

Yup-yup, no argument... but:

When he said something about cleaning oil off of a cable we had already passed the: "clean the terminals and the other ends at ground and starter" part. It sounded to me as if he'd just wiped oil from the exterior of the wire and the thing spun up (coincidentally, IMO, due to having cooled off a bit) on the next turn of the key.

 

[Twosheds]

All I remember about the 140 (this was over 10 years ago, as a freshly minted A&P), I got a call that there was a 140 that our lead was going out because the owner had problems. The battery had overheated while on the charger, and boiled over. The sulfuric acid had sat in the belly of the plane for a few hours before it was noticed. My lead immediately sent me back for baking soda and water, but by that time the damage was done.

This was the same company that put me on a DC-3 elevator reskin on my first day, and my A&P class was the first one that didn't have to build a dope and fabric wing.

Due to witnessing that, to this day, I will not put a battery on a charger, unless it is out of the car, and over a diaper mat.

Overcharging for sure.

The DC-3 story reminds me of the A&P who went to work for Basler right out of school. In school they told him,"This is a radial engine, you'll never have to work on one". So he goes to work for Basler Aviation. They work on, you guessed it, DC-3s. They're the ones who put PT-6s in 'em, too.

That's why I tried to never say never to my students. You just don't know where they will go to work.

 

[Brosky]

I have to side with the Doc a bit on this one. I'd also check that starter very carefully. Years ago I ran into a bunch of brand new Delco starters that would get hot and the case would expand ever so slightly, but the gap change was enough to screw up the electrical tolerances and it would not start the car.

Those starters would just separate a small amount at the case seam when they got and that would do it. It took a smart old timer to teach us young pups about looking for problems in a different manner to finally uncover that one.

 

[DeltaAir423]

[

Overcharging for sure.

The DC-3 story reminds me of the A&P who went to work for Basler right out of school. In school they told him,"This is a radial engine, you'll never have to work on one". So he goes to work for Basler Aviation. They work on, you guessed it, DC-3s. They're the ones who put PT-6s in 'em, too.

That's why I tried to never say never to my students. You just don't know where they will go to work.

My first direct hire job was for a little on demand cargo outfit working on DC-3's, Convair 240's, 340's, and 440's. I learned the truth of the phrase, "Check the gas and fill the oil."

 

[tdskip]

My first direct hire job was for a little on demand cargo outfit working on DC-3's, Convair 240's, 340's, and 440's. I learned the truth of the phrase, "Check the gas and fill the oil."

LOL - I'd never heard that before but it makes perfect sense.