Won't start in South America

Not even towing/pushing it like last days?

John, if you read this, email me or call me.

I can talk to the mechanic and translate for you.

starter is not engauging the flywheel for some reason (broken teeth wobbled out bushing maybe). or the flywheel may have severly broken teeth on it. Might try putting the car in gear and moving it a hair so the flywheel moves and see if it does the same thing.

I had a starter in my 65' that spit a washer/bushing internally, it would "catch" about every third time. Mark Detro Englewood, FL

Sounds like a worn starter.

I'm not sure I explained my self so well with "catch". I mean the motor still turns over but it only rarely sounds as if the cylinders fire. Is this likely just a case of bad compression/fuel/spark problems or could these be symptoms of something wrong with the starting mechanism?

From what I can work out a worn starter would not turn the motor, right?

Thanks,

John.

From the rest of the info I have from your mails, you definitely have a low compression problem... most likely loose heads...

John emailed me and tells me he found a mechanic who got his Kombi started... he'll do a small test drive tomorrow and then try to make it to Punta Arenas, 600kmts awat, where we hope he can get a decent mechanic to fix his engine... It has low compression...

Recently rebuilt, chilean style :)

I was really worried now that it did not start at all.

Well this morning it won't start again!

I've tried starter fluid with no luck although i didn't have so much battery power at this point. I've also tried starting it without the choke but no luck on that front either.

I'm off to find someone else's battery to use or perhaps it'll start with a tow.

John.

One or two more questions....

One of the bolts holding the rocker arm assembly in place has snapped and the metal block that this bolt goes through has also snapped in half. Am I going to be able to find a replacement part for this in Punta Arenas? The mechanic in El Calafate has patched it for the time being with a makeshift bolt but the rocker arm is still cracked.

I'm also suspicious of the carburetor. How easy will it be to find a replacement in Punta Arenas? What sort of cost might I be looking at?

Thanks,

John.

OK I forgot one more thing...

The mechanic said he adjusted the valves to 10. I assume he meant

0.010 of an inch, but Sean Bartnik recommends .006 in his article. Would this make a big difference to whether she starts?

John.

I can send you a rocker arm if you don't find one. New you wont find one, but used in junkyards they are normaly cheap.

a good carburator house should be able to get one of those in like new condition. Rebuilt carbs are around US$75 and new less than US150.

I called Mr. Murphy too soon :)

without a battery charged its unlikely that you can start it without a tow. it should push start easily though... mine always starts pushing it in less than 30 meters...

a bit loose is better than a bit tight...

he may have meant 0.10 mm, which is more or less 0.004inch, tight but still acceptable.