Date:         Fri, 27 Jan 2006 00:05:06 -0500
Reply-To:     "Daniel L. Katz" <katzd54@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Daniel L. Katz" <katzd54@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: starter running intermittently, but alternator is okay?)

wes:

still symptoms of a bad battery. find a handy way to get a boost (jump)
such as another vehicle, or a special emergency jump starting battery, or
something else, and give that a try at a time that the engine fails to
crank. if she cranks that way, the battery is almost certainly at fault.

dan

>Wesley Pegden wrote:
>
>> 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).