Date:         Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:43:09 -0500
Reply-To:     Mark A Kippert <vanagon@KIPPERT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark A Kippert <vanagon@KIPPERT.COM>
Subject:      No activity from starter
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I picked up my "new" '90 Carat this past Saturday and started going through it. When I tried to start it I get nothing from the starter (BTW I do hear the fuel pump charge).. After checking electrical connections and rapping on it with a hammer I crawled under the van to take a closer look and try to hook up a remote starter switch (to be honest I'm not sure which contacts to connect the two clips to).

I  found that the electrical connections were clean and appeared to make good contact. However, while brushing dirt off the starter housing I found that the short ground wire from the motor housing to the solenoid was decaying badly. If I recall it's supposed to be a bare braided copper wire. This however was disintegrating and appeared red and flakey. I'm guessing this is my problem. I'm sure it will keep the motor from turning but would I still hear solenoid clicking? Is there a fix for this or will I need to replace the starter?

Thanks!
Mark K
1986 GL/2WD/4SPD