You get the gold star, Joe...
It turned out to be a bad ground where the engine connects to the battery negative!
Cranks fine now...{:>)

Now I just need to work on my starting skills.  I am prone to flood the engine....

Thanks everybody for your help!

Bill B



Subject:
> RE: [FlyRotary] First engine start!
> From:
> "Joe Hull" <joeh@PilgrimTech.com>
> Date:
> Fri, 9 Feb 2007 16:21:51 -0800
>
>
> Bill,
> It sure sounds like it's still not getting enough juice. When you tried
> freshly charged battery and jumping with your truck - did you try grounding
> the starter housing directly to the battery? If the ground path is weak it
> would produce those same symptoms.
>
> You can also try by-passing the starter solenoid by applying current to the
> big wire attached to the solenoid that disappears into the housing - that
> will rule out a bad solenoid.
>
> It's always fun working on the starter - that just happens to be within
> inches of that big slice-O-matic attached to re-drive :)
>
> Joe Hull
> Redmond/Seattle WA, Cozy-Mazda Rotary 71hrs
>