First I'd like to say that it's good to be back.  After over six months away
from the vanagon list I was jonesing pretty bad for a fix of bus talk.

I just wanted to give a thumbs up to the Bosch WR1 Low Voltage Relay Kit.  For
the past nine months or so my bus has had the intermittently operating starter
problem.  I tried cleaning contacts and even replaced the seven year old
battery, but it would still work sometimes and fail to work other times (usually
when it was most difficult to get under the bus to short out the solenoid
terminal to the power terminal on the starter).  

After tiring of this escapade, I dropped by Donsco in Belmont to get some other
stuff for my bus and asked for a recommendation on a starter solenoid that I
could use to boost the voltage to my bendix.  He showed me this kit from Bosch
that has a 50 Amp rated relay that mounts using one sheet metal screw and a
connector that plugs onto the relay that had all the appropriate terminations on
the ends of the color-coded wires for easy hook-up.  

I still didn't install the kit for about three more weeks, but when I finally
got to it, it only took about half an hour, and now my bus cranks over the first
time, every time.  I highly recommend this item for anybody having the
intermittent starting problem for its ease of installation (no cutting or
stripping of wires or crimping or soldering involved, whatsoever).

Tomorrow I hope to install the Pertronix electronic ignition.

peace,
terry & Sunshine ('64 Westy)