My wife and I were out on our Sunday Drive in the 3.8, when about 2 miles
from home, there arose a loud rasping noise that was independent of
engine speed or what gear was selected. We pulled into the garage, turned
the beast off, and this really loud noise that sounded like a horribly
grindy fan, persisted. I finally disconnected the battery to give me time
to think about what kind of motor in the engine bay would start spontaneously.
Upon reconnecting the battery after an interval (intended to let the engine
cool and make a perhaps temperature-dependent phenomenon go away), I observed
the car CRANKING, trying to start, without the key in the ignition! It was
the starter motor. I went to the cockpit, hit the starter button a few
times, and it finally stopped. So apparently something is flakey in the
wiring harness: not surprising since it uses paper insulation! After "fixing"
the problem, I went out for another brief spin, and all was well. Does
anyone have any first-hand experience of replacing the entire harness in the
3.8? I expect the new wiring harnesses (or "looms," as they say) use a
somewhat more robust insulation material.
Sincerely,
Tim
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