[Vwdiesel] success!

[Shalyn Shourds]

Such a rare thing I had to crow about it, and ask a couple of follow up
questions.

Unfortunately, not on the VW either, but I did, with the aid of a
bicycle pump, a can of aether, and a full-size pickup get my old '65 190
Dc Mercedes to fire up.  Had to use the bicycle pump because no matter
how hard you try, you can't bleed a hydraulic clutch with a vacuum
cleaner (goes back to that bachelour thing).

I did kill the battery in that car and then my dad helped kill the
battery from my VW in the process of trying to use it to get the MB to
start.  I was a little mad at him since he kept cranking until it was
dead and I sort of need that car to get to work.  And then he boiled
over his truck trying to jump my car.  End result is, I think that
there's something wrong with the starter in the MB.  Seems to draw
batteries down VERY quickly.  It is one we pulled out of a junk car in
about '91 or so.  I seem to remember mention of late something about
brushes getting nasty with oxidation and making it hard to start.  Does
this seem like a likely possibility?  I've never really tried to use a
starter this old.  I've never had a starter apart, either, much less a
38 year old one.  Mercedes is great about rebuildability, though.
 Leastways used to be.

Best part about the whole thing was two ragged guys (Dad and me)
dragging this old rusty car down the street of my very nice older
neighborhood and getting it to start.  Left us grinning like schoolboys
as much as it left the neighbors glowering like an old school marm.
 Which, of course, only increased our glee.

-Shalyn

-85 Jetta TD
-65 190Dc, destroyer of batteries