> Ken Wilford
> Van-Again
snip
>  Rebuilt
> starter would be a good idea unless you like to tinker.  I have yet to have a
> cleaned up solenoid last for more than a year.

I experienced the same thing on my now departed '81. The starter whined with
no engage...I replaced just the solenoid with cleaned up solenoid from an
extra parts starter.  I  ended up replacing the whole starter about five
months later (from FLAPS....cheap, as I recall). Other than the starter and
a gas tank replacement resulting from a 2x4 flipping up from the road and
smacking the tank just enough to kink the tank and cause a leak(and an
intermittently working gasoline heater) the van gave me 65-70 k trouble free
miles.
--
Stephen Steele
'91 Caravelle...Hans
'84 Westy...Fritz or Sunny?
Chillicothe, OH