I upgraded the alternator wiring a while back and have a hard start kit on
order from T3 Technique.  I would think the hard start kit would lessen the
need to redo the wiring from battery to switch and back to starter.  I have
to do something though.  I'll look into the gear reduction starters.
Thanks again for the advice

On Sun, Jun 26, 2016, 6:59 PM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:

> I would do more testing before changing that cable. It is a bit of work.
> If you do change it go larger. Also upgrade the wire from the alternator to
> that cable and then either run another wire up to the fuse box-ignition
> switch or upgrade the wiring from the battery for same.
>
> As for replacing starters the gear reduction starters in general need less
> current to get the job done. They use permanent magnet motors (no filed
> coils) and the gearing makes the torque. These also require less current
> for the solenoid to operate. Basically, they compensate for our poorly
> designed and old worn out wiring and switches. Over the past 2 years I have
> installed a number of the GoWesty units and I have not had a comeback yet.
> Yes need more time to really tell. There is the option to use the Diesel
> starters with an adapter. Some are still recommending a helper relay for
> the solenoid on those.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of Michael McSwain
> Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2016 4:26 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Is something killing my starters?
>
> Thanks for the input. I did check volts at the starter just to verify that
> the juice from the ignition switch was getting there, but I'll do some more
> research in that direction and probably assume that I'll be buying a new
> starter and + battery cable.
>
> Thanks again
>
> On Sun, Jun 26, 2016 at 3:32 PM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > As I mentioned in the past if you're going to do your own diagnostics
> > you need to develop some skills and get some test equipment and learn
> > how to use them when things work normally. There are many variables
> > that can effect proper starter operation. For slow cranking the
> > correct diagnoses includes getting the actual voltage available at the
> > starter motor and the current it is trying to draw. Normal operation
> > is for there to still be at least 10 volts at the starter motor and
> > usual amp draw is ~ 175 amps. If the starter is drawing much more
> > current than the voltage will fall. If it is not drawing more current
> > and the voltage still falls you have a restriction either in the cable
> > or the battery. If not drawing current and voltage stays high then you
> have a problem in the starter.
> >
> > Dennis
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> > Behalf Of Michael McSwain
> > Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2016 3:25 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Re: Is something killing my starters?
> >
> > I did read somewhere that low voltage could ruin starters and I
> > suspected my + cable from the battery. It doesn't look great either so
> > that's probably a decent assumption. And by the way, I did have the
> > battery tested under load with one of those fancy battery testing
> > gadgets.  Any way to test this thing more thoroughly to make sure I'm
> > not just throwing parts at it?  Any way to test the long battery cable?
> >
> > On Sun, Jun 26, 2016 at 2:09 PM John Rodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Hmmmm! Had the same problem on my 2.1 WBX a while back. Went thru
> > > two REBUILT staeters fairly quickly. The third one got fried related
> > > to a harness fire. I replaced it with an adapter available  from VC
> > > and put a late model high torque diesel starter on it. Works fine so
> > > far. BTW, that diesel starter was brand new, in the box, and cost
> > > under $100 delivered to my front door. Worth looking in to. But be
> > > sure the starter killing problem is solved first!
> > >
> > > John
> > > On Jun 26, 2016 13:10, "Michael McSwain" <michaelmcswain@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > >> I replaced my unknown age starter on my 1.9 about a year ago with a
> > >> brand new Bosch.  Recently it started displaying the same symptoms
> > >> as the previous one.  Turning the engine over seemed to get more
> > >> and more laborious and eventually it stopped doing anything at all.
> > >> The last hand full of times it actually started, I turned the key
> > >> and it turned over once,  then a 2 second or so silent pause then
> > >> it turned over again and cranked up. Pretty much the same exact
> > >> symptoms as the
> > previous starter.
> > >>
> > >> So far I've jumpered around my ignition switch.  Nothing.  I
> > >> cleaned my battery/body and transmission grounds.  Nothing.  I
> > >> bridged the starter and solenoid posts with a screw driver and got
> > >> a little spark,  but nothing at all from the starter motor.
> > >> Silence on all counts except for the fuel pump priming which has
> > >> been happening all along.  Does this just sound like bad luck and
> > >> it's a bad starter or is there something else that could be causing
> > >> a premature failure of the starter?
> > >>
> > >> I also had my battery checked and it checked out fine.  I have one
> > >> of those cigarette lighter volt meters that consistently shows 13.9
> > >> volts at speed.
> > >> If it weren't a 1 year old Bosch starter I would have immediately
> > >> assumed that to be the problem. Am I just in denial?
> > >>
> > >> Any thoughts would be much appreciated
> > >>
> > >
> >
>