Date:         Thu, 26 Jan 2006 15:05:00 -0500
Reply-To:     Wesley Pegden <wes@CS.UCHICAGO.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Wesley Pegden <wes@CS.UCHICAGO.EDU>
Subject:      recap (still not fixed)  Re: Update (not fixed...) Re: FIXED?
              (and, advice needed...) (was: Re: low voltage,
              starter running intermittently, but alternator is okay?)
Comments: To: Roger Sisler <rogersisler2000@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2006012511342956@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Thanks to everybody that's replied
Okay, I just want to go over what I've done and what my situation is.
First, my symptoms:  The van often fails to start:  It will always
(fingers crossed) eventually start, but it might take a few turns of the
key.  When it doesn't start, the engine doesn't turn over at all.  I do
hear a distinctive clicking sound at the back when I engage and
disengage the ignition, which I assume is the solenoid.

I know have a happy 13.7-.13.8 volts at the battery when running (14
volts at the alternator) without electrical on.  Throughout this whole
ordeal, I've never had to jump the battery.  I've had the battery tested
at an autozone (where its under warranty), and I have driven the van
around a bit (with my 13.7-13.8 volts at the battery) so it should be
fairly well charged, but this doesn't seem to affect the problem.

I've replaced: the starter, the alternator, and the starter bushing (in
addition to cleaning up some grounds and replacing the battery ground
strap).

What else can people think of to try?

Roger, do you think its worth bypassing the switch even though I can
here the solenoid clicking?

Thanks very much for any suggestions... I'm really running out of ideas.
-Wes


Roger Sisler wrote:
> Perhaps your ignition switch is the villan.Maybe try byypassingthe switch
> (hot wire) and see if it starts repeatedly. Else remove the steering wheel
> and column cover so to remove the plug that goes into the switch. Figure
> out the wires that are needed to be jumped here to get ignition and
> cranking.From reading the posts, this is about all the parts that you can
> throw at this problem.BTDT
>
>