I concur.
wondering if the poster was reading full starter motor current ..( but that
would be more like 100 to 150 amps....though with no load, 37 amps would
fit )
and not just solenoid energizing current ..
which is all the ign switch sees of course.

6 amps sounds about right I'd say,.

I have seen many cables from solenoid to starter motor ..
it's a small cable ..I've seen lots of those that looked overheated.
it's normal.
one should never crank continuously more than 8 or 10 seconds or so anyway
though.
It's all about being easy on the equipment to me. ..that and taking good
care of it.

I'll sure have to say ..
Bosch is good at making starters ..
a good original type one ....good for years and years and years.

Scott
www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2011 6:40 PM
Subject: Re: Start Issue with Hard Start Relay

> At 09:20 PM 3/6/2011, Larry Alofs wrote:
>>A while back I connected a starter to a car battery so that I could
>>measure the current in that solenoid circuit.  It seems to me that it
>>was around 37 amps.  That is an awful lot thru a 1/4 inch push-on
>>connector as well as the ignition switch.  If the crimp of that
>>connector to the wire is a little corroded, the resistance will
>>produce a lot of heat.  If anyone else has measured this current, I
>>would welcome confirmation or refutation.
>
> I just checked my permanently rigged jumper that hangs near the
> alternator B+ on my '89 A/T - using a Sears Clamp-on DC ammeter I got
> six and change which makes sense to me.  40 amps through my jumper
> would heat it up very quickly - I'm pretty sure I'd notice both the
> hot vinyl and the significant arc when I disconnected.
>
> 40 amps sounds more like a possible range for a free-running
> starter?  That would be about 500 watts, or 2/3 of a horsepower.
>
> Yours,
> David