I agree with you on the statement about the test leads. I mainly pointed
that out in the evnet that someone might not notice when checking for
restistance in wires or grounds.

I do not agree with you on the statement that 12.3V is fine. Maybe I wasnt
clear enough when I resplied but I was referring to voltage measured at the
terminals themselves. 12.3V *might* just possibly have enough juice to crank
the engine over (at a very slow speed) and hopefully in that very slow
rotation the engine will catch and fire up. I would have to say that if ones
battery is regularly reading 12.3V at the terminals that there is a problem.

http://www.forparts.com/techbosbattery.htm

given the resistance in a 12 foot long wire it might be prudent to make sure
that the battery is fully charged (12.69V) before proceeding with a
diagnosis.

Chris DeLong
Fine Tuning
206.522.5503
www.finetuningperformance.com
Seattle, WA USA

>From: "Daniel L. Katz" <katzd54@YAHOO.COM>
>Reply-To: "Daniel L. Katz" <katzd54@YAHOO.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Weird Tiico starting problem -- please Help!
>Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 04:07:03 -0500
>
>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
> >>>
> >>>