Are you working with an automatic or a manual tranny van?

If manual, did you replace the starter bushing (in the bellhousing, tip of
starter sits in it), and did you lube the new bushing? Too much friction
here, or an egged-out bushing might give you problems.

If you did all that, and jumping the contacts right at the starter *still*
gives no start, it's possible you got a bad rebuilt starter (it happens,
all too often with FLAPS units). I'd say try again with a Bosch
remanufactured unit.

At 10:12 AM 10/21/2005 -0700, you wrote:
>Recently I was experiencing progressively more sluggish starting on my 88
>until finally the starter wouldn't budge without a tap from a hammer.  After
>checking the battery (good), cleaning the contacts (and tranny ground), I
>ended up replacing the starter and bushing w/ a new rebuilt ("PPR") I
>ordered through my mechanic.
>
>It fired right up the first couple times, and turned strong.  Great.  But,
>later that day, I was getting nothing.  Tapping it with a hammer eventually
>gets it going.
>
>This happens both when cold and hot.  I tried "jumping" the starter by
>shorting the contact and I still get nothing except for the fuel pump.
>
>Is my "new" starter bad?
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>James V