Lister Engine Forum

Slow Speed Diesel Engines => Changfa Engines => Topic started by: draganof on January 09, 2008, 10:07:44 PM

Title: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: draganof on January 09, 2008, 10:07:44 PM
Well it looks like the starter solenoid is ready to retire. I had this starter rebuilt 6-7 months ago I think and it's the solenoid thats going now. It's just junk and not worth fixing at this point. I was only able to find one dealer selling replacement starters for the 195 so I ordered 2 of them. Should be here in 4-5 days via UPS. Funny how a simple starter motor is so difficult to find. Hope the new ones are of a better quality than the original. I'll post some pictures of what they look like when they arrive.

John
Title: Customer service? No such thing without honesty.
Post by: draganof on January 16, 2008, 02:35:33 AM
On the 9th I ordered 2 starters for my 195 from a company in Michigan. The salesman I placed the order with assured me they were in stock and would be shipped on the following day. He said he would send me an e-mail with the UPS tracking number as soon as they shipped. Late in the afternoon of the 10th I called to inquire about the tracking number and was told they were having trouble locating the starters in the warehouse. I called them the afternoon of the 11th and was told they would ship by COB. They were closed on the 12th and 13th. On Monday morning the 14th I called to asked about the shipment and was told they could only locate 1 starter and would ship it by noon their time. Today after not receiving and e-mail with the tracking number last night I decided to call one last time. The only person there was a receptionist and she said there were no salesmen available to talk to about my order. I asked her when they would be available and was informed by her that there was no one there but her and she didn't know when anyone would be there. I asked if she could look up my account and tell me the status of my order and she informed me she could not do that. At that point I had enough and told her to take down my name and cancel  my order. She reluctantly did so. What has happened to businesses in America?  This makes me sick. Any other companies out there selling Changfa parts?

John
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: draganof on January 16, 2008, 03:03:16 AM
Carroll Stream Motors >:(

Salesman that took the order is named Paul
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: mobile_bob on January 16, 2008, 05:15:08 AM
John:

i have been following your saga over the starter
are you down without a replacement? like having to handcrank the damn thing?

send me a pm and i will get you a starter from one of my engines, i live in tacoma so shipping is not a problem
as a personal favor for a neighbor (and fellow diesel mechanic) i won't charge you for it, just replace it when you finally find one, or if we can find
something else that is commonly available that can be made to fit either buy it and return mine or buy it for me.

i am sure we can work something out to get you going.

i gotta believe we can find something to replace these things with, even if it means fab'n a different mount.

this carrollstream outfit seems to have some issues with how they do business as do a few others of late.
seems like someone here bought an engine that was represented as a genuine changfa when the reality was something different.
(not saying the engine is of poor quality, but one does wonder why carrollstream called it a changfa if it was a quality engine?, there undoubtedly
are other quality engine manufactures in china so why not just call an "ace an ace" and a "spade a spade")

seems like there is a thinning of the heard when it comes to resellers, maybe the survivors will be the cream of the crop
and the whole sector will be healthier for the "all so ran's" being gone!

we got a name for such in our industry,, those that "whore up the market"
poor quality extends from the product to the actions of the company in many of these cases.
where low cost is soon forgotton but the sting of being screwed lingers on.

hopefully you don't lose any money in the process.

bob g
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: draganof on January 17, 2008, 01:02:01 AM
Bob G,
Your trust and generosity has restored my faith in mankind. I sent Bob a PM and explained the starter still works if I tap on it during cranking. The solenoid armature barrel is worn and causes it to hang up most of the time. I'll nurse it along until the replacement arrives on Monday. I contacted Hardy Diesel down in California and they are sending me a new "genuine changfa" starter tomorrow morning. The parts lady told me she will call me with a tracking number as soon as UPS picks it up.

Bob G. thank you for being such a good man. In the crazy world we live in now it's not often you run across people that still practice the basic rule of trust and willing to help out a fellow in need. One of these days we'll have to meet up for coffee and donuts and talk slow speed power generation!

Once again, thank you sir.

John 
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: mobile_bob on January 17, 2008, 04:24:42 AM
awe heck John,,, we changfa luvers gotta stick together!

although i get my caffiene from a coke, i can never walk away from a good donut

maybe that is why i look like i have one wrapped around my mid section ?

lol

bob g
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: Doug on January 17, 2008, 11:22:11 PM
Thats planning ahead Bob.

A reserve for those lean times we can never predict.

We in the Dominion of Dougladesh have a larger reserve of food energy than the repulic of  Bobistan......
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: Stan on January 18, 2008, 12:12:10 AM
You called me Doug?
Stan
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: Doug on January 18, 2008, 12:19:46 AM
 What???

Now I have to look over the other shoulder too ?

Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: Stan on January 18, 2008, 01:10:35 AM
Do you have any idea how many countries in the world end in my name?
Stan

edit....7   Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan

And I wouldn't want to live in any of them (but they all probably have lots of Listers in them)
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: Doug on January 18, 2008, 01:39:12 AM
Alrighty then the comonwealth of Stanleystan.....

And a big round of aplause for Dougy dragging another thread off topic in record time.
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: draganof on January 18, 2008, 01:57:26 AM
You guys are lucky, you have countries.  I have 433,000,000 bathrooms as my namesake.

Ever hear anybody ask " where's the Doug?"
How about " wheres's the Bob"?
Lets not forget "where's the Stan"?

Where's the John? Yeah, I've even said it.

John





John

Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: Doug on January 18, 2008, 02:13:34 AM
Could be worse your last name could be crapper.

Alrighty then.....

Hmm.....
 
"Johnaria", land of Porcelain hills and clear running valleys
Primary export giant breath mints and furious political thought.
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: draganof on January 18, 2008, 02:42:00 AM
At last. My own country. A proud man I am. I shall stand in the Round Bristle Brush forest tonight and light a match in celebration!

John ( no longer ashamed )
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: draganof on January 18, 2008, 02:56:59 AM
In an attempt to get myself back on track Hardy Diesel called today with my UPS tracking number. My starter for the 195 is on its way. Life is good once again.

John of Johnaria :P

No relation to Gona

Oh by the way Bob my weakness is Diet Pepsi and every donut cooked in UVO. Actually the ones cooked in Lard long ago tasted better.  My girth is slowly approaching my height as I get younger!

My wife says I'm bulking up for WTSHTF

John
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: mobile_bob on January 18, 2008, 04:20:15 AM
weight certainly has its advantages as a diesel mechanic
 i remember when i first started out, at 155 lbs trying to torque 1693 and 3406a model mains
both feet and both arms and a guarantee of a hemmoroid or three!

(and the torque wrench sat there and laughed at me)

now all i have to do is get it in position and lay on the torque wrench!

(and the torque wrench screams for mercy)

:)

bob g
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: Doug on January 18, 2008, 08:45:26 PM
Bob all this disussion of weight has me thinking.

Would one of those cigars you were telling me you are so fond of ever go nice with this nice oak aged Innis &Gunn IPA I'm drinking.....

Screw it all, the important thing is life is to keep buisy and enjoy life's little pleasures.

From this moment onward the Doughnut will be the official currency of Dougladesh and I shall rename them torque wrench ballasts in your honour.
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: mobile_bob on January 18, 2008, 11:55:55 PM
speaking of cigars

last week i went back to kansas and stopped at the first walgreen strore i could find
they had my favorite cigar so i asked the girl how many packages she had,
she said i don't know,, i told her fine and i want them all!
she found 9 packages,, and completely freaked out that some fat bastard had the audacity to buy them all!

before we left at the end of vacation i stopped back in and they had gotten in 4 more packs and i got them too :)

in kansas they are 1/2 of what i pay for them here,, and
my local walgreens here has not got in any for the last 4 months,, i have heard every excuse in the book
they are on back order, the driver didn't bring any, the manufacture don't make em anymore,, etc

funny how the store in kansas doesn't have a problem getting them...

then came the airport security,, oh boy!
they xray'd our checked baggage in view of everyone,, small airport

i was asked,,, what the hell is in this suitcase,,, they thought it was some sort of explosives!!
i guess they thought it was small sticks of dynamite or something,,
i explained it was my cigars,,,
13 packages???? are you serious??
they stopped me and i had to explain that they were indeed not explosives, not contraban such as cuban
and not made of whacky tobaccy!

i guess next time i will just send them back by ups or us mail :)

but i got a good supply of cigars now,, didn't get detained for long or go to jail,, so life is good again!

what a guy has to go through for his favorite cigar!

other things i learned from my trip
washington state has a tobacco tax of 15 dollars per pack more than kansas does!
in central kansas gas is around 40 cents less per gallon and,, most interesting is you can buy premium unleaded for about
7 cents less than the plain unleaded??? seems the refinery is very close and they have a surplus of premium unleaded so they
discount it to the local stations to get rid of it... so everyone burns premium unleaded,,, wow that took a bit to understand.
food prices are around 20-50 percent less there as well,,, that goes for everything from bananna's to tomatoes (neither of which or locally
grown or out of season,, beef and other meats a bit less expensive as well,, amazing!
a house that sells for 30k there will bring 250-300k here!

oh yes,, and zero traffic! or nearly so even on the interstate hiways,, nothing like here in western washington !
folks are very nice and easy going as well. but you got to have an appointment to get  haircut even if you are the only one in the shop!

all in all, a good trip, and got a chance to meet a great guy from Flint Hills Diesel as well.  :)
and helped uncrate an original lister 3/1 as well, that was cool  :)  (thanks Russell)

yes it is very hard coming back to this rat race

bob g
Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: Doug on January 19, 2008, 01:14:07 AM
Hey Bob....

I'll Ups you a realy good IPA for a good cigar since you seem to have a connection at Wallgreens lol....

Thats a drug store right?

Title: Re: Changfa 195 starter
Post by: draganof on February 10, 2008, 03:18:33 AM
An update on my starter is in order. I received the first starter I ordered from Hardy Diesel. Wrong one. This one is top of engine mount and I need the one that goes on the end. Took measurements and sent photos to Hardy. No problem they said, we know which one you need. Starter # 2 arrives, Big starter! 4kw, 30lbs. Big enough to crank a 3406. Not for a 195 for sure. More phone calls, their working on it. Waiting for UPS to pickup the two wrong starters. Hardy is footing the return bill. Opened my Master Card bill today and discovered that Carroll Stream billed me $94.00 for a starter they never sent me! >:( I had tried to order one from them but they never could get it shipped out. They kept coming up with all kinds of excuses. I finally sent them an E-Mail and phoned them to cancel the order. I never even had a tracking # from them. Looks like I'll be talking to them on Monday. My original starter? It has not failed to start since I ordered the first starter from Hardy. I have a friend in Vietnam that owns a large factory. I wonder what the import fee would be on a crate load of starters? Actually I wonder just how cheap a Changfa 195 is in Saigon. I need to find out if he ships his products to the US. Might be a way to save on some shipping costs. ;D

John