My experience is that the R/BK wire that is used to trigger the starter
solenoid gets corroded over time.� It makes 12V but when you push
some current through it, it drops below the 9 or so volts it needs to
actually make the solenoid work.� The solution is to use a regular
relay are wire it like so.

30 - main terminal on starter
(voltage source)
85 - ground
86 - R/BK wire that normally
triggers starter
87 - solenoid terminal on starter

That
and make sure that the ground wire between the gearbox and frame is in
good shape and you are set.

David Marshall
VW Adventure
Driver and BMW Adventure Rider
 
HasenWerk 
http://www.hasenwerk.ca

On Tue, January 26, 2010 05:43, Mark
A Kippert wrote:
> I picked up my "new" '90 Carat this
past Saturday and started going
> through it. When I tried to
start it I get nothing from the starter (BTW I
> do hear the fuel
pump charge).. After checking electrical connections and
> rapping
on it with a hammer I crawled under the van to take a closer look
> and try to hook up a remote starter switch (to be honest I'm not
sure
> which contacts to connect the two clips to).
> 
> I  found that the electrical connections were clean and appeared to
make
> good contact. However, while brushing dirt off the starter
housing I found
> that the short ground wire from the motor
housing to the solenoid was
> decaying badly. If I recall it's
supposed to be a bare braided copper
> wire. This however was
disintegrating and appeared red and flakey. I'm
> guessing this is
my problem. I'm sure it will keep the motor from turning
> but
would I still hear solenoid clicking? Is there a fix for this or will
> I need to replace the starter?
> 
> Thanks!
> Mark K
> 1986 GL/2WD/4SPD
>