Learn from others mistakes, like mine!! Don't drive in the yard....

[Daniel Long]

stuck in mud....

Sigh, I manage to make more work for myself this winter!!

[Jim Stoltz]

Glad you got her out!

I watched your youtube video when you first got it. It's in great shape. I also learned something that has been bugging me about mine since I got it. There's a silver button on my dash that I have no idea what it's for. You have the same one, but yours still has a label on it. "EMERGENCY START". Holy moly that would have been really good to know many, many times.

[Daniel Long]

HA! You know how many times I have to stop the kids from pushing that thing when they sit in the driver's chair?? That little silver button is soo tempting!

[Jim Stoltz]

It doesn't do anything on mine as far as I can tell. I assume it connects the coach batteries while it's depressed? If so, it wouldn't be obvious it was doing anything until I turned the key with a dead chassis battery. It doesn't actually turn the starter, right?

[Daniel Long]

This will be another "fix it" video. You are correct. The switch is supposed to use the coach batteries to get the starter going and override a dead chassis battery. My issue now is that my alternator is not charging. This system depends on that 4 post solenoid over the alternator in the engine bay and everything wired up right. Getting a correct wiring diagram is a challenge for this and once I have this up and working correctly, I'll have the video and blog posts up for all to use.

[Jim Stoltz]

Ah that makes sense. When I had the engine out of mine I took pics of all of the wiring and put that solenoid back in. I had wondered what it was for now I know! I don't know if it works but I know now what it's supposed to do. It's a pretty big one - I would think I'd hear it click (I do not). I have to investigate now! I have the same type of big solenoid operating the air pump for the air suspension so I can swap it out if need be. That feature would be really handy since I crank mine dead pretty regularly. Cheap Walmart battery combined with no choke on the carb.

[Daniel Long]

Bought my 4 pole solenoid on Amazon. Tried other auto places and couldn't get the specific post configuration.

Here is the link: RV Solenoid

[Jim Stoltz]

Well that button does actually work! I just checked it out. It cranked dead like it always does in the cold. I held the button down and it cranked and fired! I love learning new things!

[Jim Stoltz]

Thanks! Those are stainless steel wheel covers. They were pretty cheap if I recall correctly. Got them on eBay.

And yes that's a '64 Impala wagon. A project that I've fallen behind on. I hope to get back to restoring it in the Spring.

[Jim Stoltz]

Yes - I got mine on Amazon, too. I got one for the air pump and another for my stepson's Jeep. It has a light bar that has a 15 amp draw. It keeps baking the auto parts store relays so I got one of those continuous duty relays from Amazon.