chris:

12.3 V is fine for a battery not under load. a battery can be well
charged, as indicated both by voltage across terminals and hydrometer
test, and yet be bad due to an excessive internal resistance, which
becomes evident under a heavy load, such as cranking.

a 10 ohm resistance across meter test leads in and of itself would be
irrelevant for voltage measurement because the input impedence of a good
voltmeter is thousands of times bigger.

dan

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 04:39:46 +0000, Chris DeLong <green536@HOTMAIL.COM>
wrote:

>A relay is a good idea in any occasion. However, one must note that a
>battery putting 12.3v to the meter is almost dead. 12.69v is a fully
charged
>battery (provided we are talking about regular lead acid batteries here).
>12.1v is a completely dead battery. You might also check the resistance in
>the leads on your meter. Faulty leads can give false readings. I recently
ha
>dto replace the leads on my Fluke as they were delivering almost 10 ohms
of
>resistance to themselves.
>
>
>
>Chris DeLong
>Fine Tuning
>206.522.5503
>www.finetuningperformance.com
>Seattle, WA USA
>
>
>
>
>>From: Greg Potts <Greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
>>Reply-To: Greg Potts <Greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>Subject: Re: Weird Tiico starting problem -- please Help!
>>Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 13:27:45 -0500
>>
>>Hi Oliver,
>>
>>12.3V at the starter should be sufficient, but was that measured at the
>>thick wire to the battery or at the wire to the solenoid terminal?
>>
>>If the voltage at the solenoid is dropping (perhaps due to the age of
>>the wire between the starter and ignition switch) then you will
>>experience this problem. A starter relay can be used to boost voltage.
>>
>>If the voltage is good at the solenoid then I'd suggest you try a
>>different starter, because your replacement starter has a bad solenoid.
>>
>>Happy trails,
>>
>>Greg Potts
>>Toronto, Ontario, Canada
>>
>>1973/74/79 Westfakia Conversion **Bob the Tomato**  LY3H
>>1977 Sunroof Automatic L63H/L90D
>>http://www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia
>>http://www.busesofthecorn.com
>>
>>
>>On 8-Nov-04, at 12:35 PM, Oliver Balson wrote:
>>
>>>I am new to this list but used to be involved with the type2list.
>>>
>>>My name is Oliver Balson -- I have a 90 vanagon and 2500 miles ago
>>>installed the tiico engine conversion.  I have a strange starting
>>>problem that has come up since the tiico conversion.  I'd love some
>>>feedback on, as I am STUCK!
>>>
>>>
>>>Around town, I have no problem -- van starts 100% of the time.
>>>However, whenever I drive the van hard (70mph) for at least an hour,
>>>the van will not start once turned off!  It will not even turn over.
>>>I have replaced the battery, starter, ingnition switch, and all
>>>electrical up front checks out. This has happened every road trip.
>>>
>>>This past weekend, we pulled over to help a flat tire victim at 1am
>>>and the van would not crank back up!  We got a police escourt to the
>>>nearest hotel, and the next morning (8 hrs later) I tinkered with the
>>>van, but no luck.  I had 12.3 v at the battery, 12.3 v going into the
>>>starter, but no turning over at all.  A few hours later, we were towed
>>>75 miles, and once the car was unloaded, it started right up.  This is
>>>very frustating, as it happens at the worst possible time and I am at
>>>a loss.
>>>
>>>I am wondering if any experts have some ideas -- could something be
>>>locking up when the engine/trans? gets good and hot?  The starter will
>>>not turn over at all.  I'm certain this is not an ignition/electrical
>>>problem, as we've checked all grounds, even added an extra engine
>>>grounding strap. etc.? I also notice a lot more vibration in the gear
>>>shifter in the front of the van.   I am wondering if somehow the
>>>friction on the tranny is related?
>>>highway, it will not restart afterward.
>>>
>>>Any response would be appreciated!
>>>Please help! Thanks so much.  Oliver
>>>
>>>