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dim dash and no starter action.
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richard123vmt
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Joined: February 04, 2017
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Location: california
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 12:48 pm    Post subject: dim dash and no starter action. Reply with quote

I haven't gone under the bus (1971) because of wet weather. At first it started toturnover but got stuck.I took out the battery which was quite low and fully charged it. It still does not turnover and now the dash lights are dim. I disconnected the battery ground strap in the meantime.
I am 99% sure what I have is a sticky solenoid or a shorted starter. Since it is not a daily driver, I am not going under and getting wet.
(Actually, as you may know, it is quite dry under the bus but wet grass all around it.)
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aeromech
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 7:05 pm    Post subject: Re: dim dash and no starter action. Reply with quote

California is a big place. Can you be more specific on your location?
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airschooled
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 7:22 pm    Post subject: Re: dim dash and no starter action. Reply with quote

A stuck solenoid is possible in southern california, but not northern. The central valley explicitly has dirty positive cable connections. East of the Sierras, ground cables get dirty. Up in Humbolt, the old batteries let the magic smoke out.

Dim dash is from low voltage. What else gets enough power? What else doesn't?

Robbie
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 9:10 pm    Post subject: Re: dim dash and no starter action. Reply with quote

A VOM meter is your friend, get to know him.
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aeromech
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 9:15 pm    Post subject: Re: dim dash and no starter action. Reply with quote

Guys, these buses are 50+ years old. We’re just gunna be seeing more and more threads like this. Somebody like Tcash needs to build a complete “how to” thread so we can just link members to it.

Who’s up?
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timvw7476
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 12:19 am    Post subject: Re: dim dash and no starter action. Reply with quote

classic change-of-season issues. Time for spring maintenance you wetsuiters!
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richard123vmt
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 25, 2024 3:41 pm    Post subject: Re: dim dash and no starter action. Reply with quote

I solved the problem with ease. Ithink a lot of it had to do with unwanted attention from neighbors.
It was a simple case of dirty cable clamps. I had them clean but not shiny. Withy a fully charged battery that shouldhave worked but it did not. With attention from one of those terminal wire brush gaddgets and not only did it turn right over but also it started right up--which was a surprise since it has been sitting from a month or more.
In the meantime, I had focused on that brass bearing, which I never replace even when the engine is out. Next time. The way it turned over left no doubt about its function.
I also have both a relay and a non-relay setup. If the relay malfunctions I go back to the straight setup. I also have a jump wire which works with the non-relay setup. I have a potential replacement relay for when I do get under there. Thanks for all ideas.
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 25, 2024 6:41 pm    Post subject: Re: dim dash and no starter action. Reply with quote

richard123vmt wrote:
I solved the problem with ease. Ithink a lot of it had to do with unwanted attention from neighbors.
It was a simple case of dirty cable clamps. I had them clean but not shiny. Withy a fully charged battery that shouldhave worked but it did not. With attention from one of those terminal wire brush gaddgets and not only did it turn right over but also it started right up--which was a surprise since it has been sitting from a month or more.
In the meantime, I had focused on that brass bearing, which I never replace even when the engine is out. Next time. The way it turned over left no doubt about its function.
I also have both a relay and a non-relay setup. If the relay malfunctions I go back to the straight setup. I also have a jump wire which works with the non-relay setup. I have a potential replacement relay for when I do get under there. Thanks for all ideas.


You can clean the inside of the cable clamps by scraping the oxided layer off with a pen knife and you can clean the the posts with a wire brush. In cooler climates putting vasoline on the mating surfaces and smearing more on the assembled junction will give good results. In hotter climes use dielectric grease or De-Ox.
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