OFF TOPIC- NOT GMC - Long read

[RF_Burns]

Kerry,
Most solenoids have their coils wrapped on a plastic bobbin. The metal plunger slides through the center hole of bobbin to move the contacts. I've
needed to repair a couple over the years and found the metal plunger was sticking in the bobbin tube. They were easily fixed by grinding down the
diameter of the metal plunger.

I have had to do this twice on my Kubota BX1500 diesel tractor. It has a solenoid that pulls in momentarily to shut off the engine fuel. It would
randomly not start, then I noticed I did not hear the "Click" of that solenoid DE-energising. I opened the hood and could see it was still in the
Shut-OFF position. A well placed screwdriver pulled out the plunger. After a few more times, a call to the Kubota Dealer found the replacement price
was $275.00. So I pulled it apart and ground down the plunger diameter a bit. I've done it twice since, so the plastic bobbin must be shrinking. The
coil and bobbin show no signs of ever being hot.

I can imagine though years of engine heat and the plastic off-gassing can make the plastic bobbin shrink. The plunger may stick before it makes
contact, or it may stick in the ON position. You may want to install a large master OFF switch on the batteries to be prepared for the next time the
solenoid goes bad.

Your starter likely went bad from the continuous cranking incident.

--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
Hubler 1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that

 

[skip hartline]

Mr. Pinkertons adventure and an earlier post by Bob Donahue reminded me about a situation which happened to my aunt and uncle's Bluebird Wanderlodge
and them.. They were lucky enough to be able to retire before 50 and were traveling seeing the country when they had a blowout. They didn't realize
that somehow when the tire blew it got hold of a gas line in the fender well, sound familiar, it didn't break it but it somehow pulled on the
regulator and the furnace and stove pilots were running super rich and they almost succumbed to CO poisoning, my uncle was a long distance trucker so
he knew he should not have been getting sleepy at the wheel and stopped. Not long after that she started showing signs of the dormant Parkinsons gene
kicking in, runs in my mother's family, The doctor traced it back to the CO poisoning, said a major life trauma or major stress is what usually kicks
it in. My grandfather lost an 18 year old son and his soon started. Just amazing how something totally unrelated, like a blowout, to something like
Parkinsons can be the "root" cause. Like Mr Pinkerton's dirty fuel filter causing the exhaust to shake apart and causing all those other, what you
would think unrelated, maladies. Just glad they didn't have any signs of CO poisoning. Just a little story that can make you go "hmm?" about exhaust
leaks.
Skip Hartline

 

[roy keen]

Kerry sorry for your experience there is a good reason we hate to trust mechanics we don't know no mater how excessive their labor rates are. From
what I have recently found out it is common for the flex line that connects the exhaust pipe to the muffler to separate and if you don't stop and some
how connect it again the excessive heat will cause all kinds of damage . The flex connection on my country coach has separated at the exhaust pipe and
I secured it with a large hose clamp. So far it is holding I need to get a large band clamp to hold it. A friend had his come apart on his American
Tradition and he has had to repair his hydronic lines for the jacks that got damaged from the heat. There is a lot more to these diesels then the
simple /1970 erior GMC. It definitely takes a lot of time to transition from maintaining a GMC to maintaining a diesel.
--
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook

 

[johnny]

When we fitted indoor gensets - Caterpillar and Cummins - we used flex sections which had flanges on each end. One end bolted to the muffler, one to
the pipe, both of which had mating flanges. Worst that could happen - never did - was you'd lose a donut. Is there room to put a flanged system on
the coach?
It also points out, if you go RVing, regardless the age and stage and price of your coach, you're gonna have to tinker with it from time to time.
I've learned. If a strange noise occurs, even once, stop and figure out what it was.

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased