Gary,

maybe you are right, but I am guessing its the solenoid only. Couple of
reasons.

1. the starter itself as designed is pretty much a dead short, i.e. it draws
a lot (technical term "butt-load") of current .
I think the power rating for the diesel starter is 2.3kW or is it (1.7kW?),
that equals a current draw (at 10V) of 170 to 230 amps. The contacts in the
solenoid are pretty well taking as much as the battery can give! Plus the
contacts close when solenoid is tested (minus internal spring) and have very
low/no resistance.
(My starter spins quickly and promptly in the van and on the bench.)

2. just back from picking up solenoid. Talking to guy at the shop and I
explained the symptoms. He said there are actually 2 windings in the
solenoid "pull back" and "hold back". I think one of the two windings on my
unit was shot.

Anyhow, will slap it in the starter and bench test this morn.

At $29.95 its worth a try.

Alistair

> From: gary hradek <hradek@yahoo.com>
> Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 09:12:46 -0700 (PDT)
> To: Alistair Bell <albell@uvic.ca>
> Subject: Re: starter solenoid heads south
>
> Alistair,
> You earn credit for yor thrifty and ecological
> sound efforts but you should consider that perhaps the
> starter as a whole is defective.   Often times the
> reason the solenoid fails is because it is being
> required to draw more current than it can handle.
> Replacing the part with a new solenoid may only put
> off the problem that the starter is drawing too much
> power.   I look at the solenoid as much as a fuse as a
> switch.   If you have a used solenoid by all means
> give it a shot but perhaps a new solenoid should be
> hung on a new starter in the form of a rebuild.   I
> hate doing a job twice.   Many happy starts, gary