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Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:21 pm

hello, i picked up a 78 2.0 f.i. bay 4 months ago that i have been working on since. I have pulled the engine, tranny, gas tank and cleaned everything up, new gaskets and fuel lines, have got the tank refinished,rebuilt axles, etc... The bus sat on pavement for 10 years prior to me owning it when i got it home i pulled plugs, put fresh gas in it put some break away on the cylinders turned it over by hand and then tried to start it, the engine would turn over fine but the fuel pump wouldnt turn on, so i decided to rebuild everything now its all back together with a new starter which i am having trouble with----when i turn the key it makes a noise like the solenoid turns on but it wont crank? when i jump it right from the battery the starter comes alive but it sounds likie it wont hit the flywheel i would appreciate any help seeing that i just got it registered and insured and now i cant get it running thank you for any input

Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:41 pm

If you hear the double relay working (I had to bench test mine and even treat it with contact fluid!), I am thinking that your starter isn't wired correctly. All the ringed wires go on the bolt with the nut, and then there are two red wires left - one red with black stripe (thicker) that goes on top... and one red wire / white stripe, goes on bottom spade. I am not an expert as I am in the same boat, working on a '78 for only a few months.

From the ratwell, our patron saint (where is he, btw?):

"The red/white wire triggers the fuel pump via the double relay. In this photo you can see that I've got a hot start relay installed and the blue arrow points to one of the relay's wires. Normally the black/red wire which is connected to the blue wire of the relay connects to terminal 50 where I have the black wire from the relay. An large red wire on terminal 30 powers the double relay. All the red wires can be confusing but again remember all the ring terminals connect to 30."

Mon Sep 28, 2009 4:11 pm

i checked and swapped bolth wires and still the same thing, the fuel pump runs when the key is in the crank position that starter just dosent want to go for some reason ?

Mon Sep 28, 2009 4:16 pm

I have a total of five wires with ring terminals attached to the starter. How many do you have?

Mon Sep 28, 2009 4:34 pm

When you installed the trany, did you attach the ground strap. Several starting problems as of late have been the result of this being missing or faulty.

Mon Sep 28, 2009 4:34 pm

Where are you jumping the starter? If it's across the 2 big threaded terminals that's a normal occurance, if you are jumping from the terminal the with battery cable to the small spade terminal the starter has problems.
Is your battery fully charged? have both ends of both battery terminals been removed, cleaned till they are shiny and re attached nice and tight? How about the ground strap at the front of the transmission?

Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:23 pm

champagnebay wrote: now its all back together with a new starter which i am having trouble with----when i turn the key it makes a noise like the solenoid turns on but it wont crank? when i jump it right from the battery the starter comes alive but it sounds likie it wont hit the flywheel

does your starter match your bell housing?

Mon Sep 28, 2009 6:01 pm

The starter is held by two nuts, one on a stud and the other with a D-shaped bolt. I know this is kind of a "duh" response but sometimes the most obvious things help.

I am assuming that:

1. you didn't mix / match your starter / flywheel.
2. the starter seems to be alive
3. you checked your wiring

Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:58 am

thanks for all of your input i will try the ground strap when i get home today, i am pretty sure i forgot it

Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:31 am

Someone else touched on this but I'll restate the question.

There are two different kinds of starters. One for earlier buses and one for later buses like yours. The later starter has a longer reach. If you installed the wrong replacement starter then it will not have the throw to reach the flywheel. You'll hear it run but it won't turn the engine over. Which starter do you have?

Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:32 pm

i just want to say thank all of you
i found that the engine is siezed but im pretty sure not bad because the first thing i did to the bus was pull plugs, pb blast and turn over by hand and it went smoothly, the engine has sat under a grill cover for 4 months with new england rain while i worked on it i am pulling the plugs and pb-ing again to let it sit over night and i will try to spin it tomarrow. The starter was not strong enough to spin the locked engine so we will find out tomarrow and then i willl have questions why it is not idling or starting im sure, thanks again