David, thank you for your reply.  I got the top bolt loose this evening.  I
had to remove the air cleaner and the intake elbow to get enough clearance
to get my Craftsman 17 mm open-end wrench onto the nut.  It was recalcitrant
at first; but yielded after I hit it with some WD-40.  Things were so tight
that I didn't have to worry about the bolt turning.  Ken Wilford at
Van-Again had the right starter in stock and is overnighting it to me.  I
had cleaned up the battery end of the cables previously, and will clean the
starter ends before putting new starter in tomorrow night.  Primary
objective is to get my van on the road so that I can take my Son to daycare
and myself to work w/o my Wife having to get up at the early hour.

John Lauterbach
Macon, GA
'84 DL

----- Original Message -----
From: The Gunnings <ngunn@landmarknet.net>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2000 5:47 PM
Subject: Re: Van won't start

> Hey John,
>
> I do not know if the suggestions I have to offer relates or applies to you
> to your situation: I am no mechanic.  But having have gone through a
similar
> type experience w/ my 85 1.9 (later version)  I would suggest you check
the
> positive cable to the battery.  I had a problem where the contact in that
> location was going increasingly south, if you know what I mean, and it
> turned-out that the culprit was the battery post connector w/ it's
> associated gizmo wires.  If this looks like it might be a contributing
> factor it might be best to replace it w/ the most heavy duty matching item
> you can find.  That's what I did w/ knock-on-wood success.  Regarding the
> removal of the starter, if it's like my 85 it's not too big a deal.
Couple
> of bolts although different sizes.  Do not skimp on making sure you have
the
> correct size wrenches, sockets and socket extensions and such, however, or
> you may have more difficulties than you had bargained for.  Rather than
> buying a new rebuilt starter, if that's the problem, you could prolly
bring
> your starter to the local starter and alternator rebuild person for half
the
> price. And for goodness sake, Please Do Not Forget to disconnect your
> primary battery source before fiddling w/ any live wires.  You otherwise
run
> the risk of possibly scorching your ECU brain unit.  Or yourself.  Neither
> which is no fun.  Take care and good luck!
>
> David Gunning &
> Sammy da Dog