[DeTomaso] Two dumb techno questions: The Plan

[Charles Engles]

Dear Forum,


              Thanks to Larry, Mike, Mark, Tomas, David, Art, Paul and Asa.


               The Plan


              Problem One, the fuel sender----it *should not* be the gauge--my mistake will be treated with the appealingly simple approach of continuing to soak it in premium gasoline and hope that it dissolves the oxidation.   If that doesn't work, then out it comes for cleaning.   If that doesn't work, then a new one is the final solution.


              Problem Two, the starter problem.   I will try the extra ground cable, which I have on the other Pantera, which coincidentally, does *not* have a "hot" starting problem (it also has a Pantera Performance Center aftermarket starter of newer vintage than 1997).   I expect that the solenoid is the next inexpensive step.   If the lousy weather keeps up, then a starter rebuild might be an option.  Larry's email was very informative.   


                                    Warmest regards,  Chuck Engles




  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: larry at ohiotimecorp.com 
  To: detomaso at realbig.com ; Charles Engles 
  Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 6:54 AM
  Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Two dumb techno questions




  Hi Chuck,

   

  <<I have two dumb problems to deal with.>>

   

  So you know my siblings?

   

   

  1.   gauge

   

  I keep an old sender (must be from the 50â?Ts) that I have wired on alligator clips to very long wires. I disconnect the cars wires at the tank and hook up my test sender. I can now sit in the car and move the shorten float arm to see if the gauge moves. This will tell you what side the problem is at (tank or car). I also use this to set the dash gauge at a point (1/4, ½, full,) then remove it and check the resistance value. 

   

  2.   starter

   

  You should use the voltage drop tests to help find the problem. This is a link so I do not have to type.

   

  http://www.aa1car.com/library/voltage_drop_testing.htm

   

  If you can rebuild a Cleveland with the best of them I think it is time to rebuild the starter. If for no other reason you will always know how they work. The starter uses bushings on each end of the armature. When they get hot (from the motor) they expand and the armature will scrape on the windings and not turn fast. It is very simple to replace them. Let me know if you want the steps to rebuild the rest of it.

   

  Larry - Cleveland




  On Sat Jan 24 17:54 , "Charles Engles" sent:


    Dear Forum,


    I have two dumb problems to deal with.

    1) Bad fuel gauge problem. The car has been sitting for three (!) years during an engine build with the tank drained. Now that it is up and running the gauge has gone wonky. It either reads empty or flashes back and forth from full to empty erratically. 

    Is the gauge terminal? 




    2) Bad starter problem. The other car has a West Coast Starter (San Diego) circa 1997. It always starts up at the first start of the day, but any re-start after that is a painfully slow "whrrr-pause-whrrrrrrr-pause-whrrr-pause-whrrr" etc. lasting a painful 10-20 secs before it starts. Today, I came in from an errand and turned the car off and then immediately tried to re-start it. Same thing. 

    Is the starter bad? It doesn't seem to be the battery. This problem has been getting incrementally worse over the last year. 



    If its not one thing-----its another, Chuck Engles 
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