Electrical Problem

[Gary W. Mills]

I installed a new hi torque starter. The new starter was shorter than
the old one. I had to stretch the wires to reach it. All looked good
from the bottom and worked fine. But when I lowered the coach, I guess
the wire was rubbing on the axle. It did not take long to rub through
and cause a short. The short left me stranded in the middle of traffic
at a light. I had to be towed for the first time in 15 years of
ownership. I got under it and found the wire broke. I replaced the
wire with a longer one, but it had taken out the alternator. It was a
life time alternator and I replaced it free of charge. Now the problem
is; My tail lights and back up lights are on when ever the key is in
the on position. I have a short between these wires. It must be in the
steering column or a wire loom someplace. Maybe Chuck Boyd can tell me
where to look.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

--
Gary W. Mills
Livonia, MI
. ___________
./_][__][] []| 1974 GMC M/H
.*O-------OO-* Painted Desert

 

[Rdenney]

Look at the plug at the base of the steering column, where the column
wiring harness plugs into a main harness under the dash. A Big Mistake can
cause problems there, with strange symptoms like you are describing.

Rick "ask me how I know" Denney

> I installed a new hi torque starter. The new starter was shorter than
> the old one. I had to stretch the wires to reach it. All looked good
> from the bottom and worked fine. But when I lowered the coach, I guess
> the wire was rubbing on the axle. It did not take long to rub through
> and cause a short. The short left me stranded in the middle of traffic
> at a light. I had to be towed for the first time in 15 years of
> ownership. I got under it and found the wire broke. I replaced the
> wire with a longer one, but it had taken out the alternator. It was a
> life time alternator and I replaced it free of charge. Now the problem
> is; My tail lights and back up lights are on when ever the key is in
> the on position. I have a short between these wires. It must be in the
> steering column or a wire loom someplace. Maybe Chuck Boyd can tell me
> where to look.
>
> Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>
> --
> Gary W. Mills
> Livonia, MI
> . ___________
> ./_][__][] []| 1974 GMC M/H
> .*O-------OO-* Painted Desert
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Rick Denney
73 x-Glacier 230 "Jaws"
Off-list email to rick at rickdenney dot com

 

[w schurman]

Gary,
I'm considering replacing the OEM starter with the hi-torque starter. Other
than the incidental problems that you are experiencing how do you like the
new starter, assuming that you have had sufficient time to use it?
Bill Schurman
'78 GMC 403
TZE168V100258
SS, CO

> I installed a new hi torque starter. The new starter was shorter than the
> old one. I had to stretch the wires to reach it. All looked good from the
> bottom and worked fine. But when I lowered the coach, I guess the wire was
> rubbing on the axle. It did not take long to rub through and cause a short.
> The short left me stranded in the middle of traffic at a light. I had to be
> towed for the first time in 15 years of ownership. I got under it and
> found the wire broke. I replaced the wire with a longer one, but it had
> taken out the alternator. It was a life time alternator and I replaced it
> free of charge. Now the problem is; My tail lights and back up lights are
> on when ever the key is in the on position. I have a short between these
> wires. It must be in the steering column or a wire loom someplace. Maybe
> Chuck Boyd can tell me where to look.
>
> Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>
> --
> Gary W. Mills
> Livonia, MI
> . ___________
> ./_][__][] []| 1974 GMC M/H
> .*O-------OO-* Painted Desert
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
William S. Schurman
box 772806
Steamboat Springs, CO
80477
1978 Palm Beach
TZE168V100258

 

[Matt Colie]

Gary,

What made you think that you needed this "high torque" starter?

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[wrightjohn 2646]

Gary,

I as Matt ask the same question, WHY! The starter that came with the coach was a heavier duty unit than the one on the FWD cars. If you have the original starter it has the square windings. Don’t arbitrarily trade it in when getting a rebuilt. I don’t buy my starters that I have used from the Big Box Autoparts stores. I purchased the one I got from an old guy that ran a starter/alternator shop. When I walked in and talked with him on what I wanted him to build he walked over to the wall of starter parts and pulled the correct nose piece, HD motor, heavy brushes and the solenoid with the good parts. It cost me $98 and change including tax to walk out with the starter in a new box. The industry part number is a “Lester 3629” which identifies what it is and whats inside. I have an alternator/starter shop about 3 miles from me with a guy that has been in the business since our coaches were built.

Where I would look is all the electrical connections between the batter and the starter and to insure that the block is grounded back to the block. I would also run the power directly from the battery in the shortest path. By wiring the starter you take a number of terminals out of the current path and reduce the voltage drop to the starter.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/gmc-cranking-improve-for-free/p34376-changed-battery-connections.html

Typical the batteries that I buy have 2 positive terminals and 2 ground terminals.

Those starter are actually designed for use on race cars because they are small, light weight and gear drive. I have only heard of a few GMCers that have used them and IMHO are not worth the increased cost and possibly short total life. The increased cost at 2X to 3X+ over a good heavy Olds starter is not good use of your money.

JR Wright
GMC Great Laker MHC
GMC Eastern States Charter Member
GMCGL Tech Editor
GMCMI
78 GMC Buskirk 30’ Stretch
1975 GMC Avion (Under Reconstruction)
Michigan

>
> Gary,
>
> What made you think that you needed this "high torque" starter?
>
> Matt
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
> Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
> OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit