On Mon, 12 Jul 1999, Brad Anderson wrote:
> This weekend, on three seperate occasions, my starter wouldn't do its thing
> when I turned the key.

This is a fairly common problem... I've had it twice in the 60K or
so I've had my van.  I wrote a lengthy and detailed post on it some
time ago (maybe a year?) which is surely in the archives.  The bottom
line is: the starter solenoid on the side of the starter needs to
be removed from the starter, and its shaft lubed.  The shaft goes
down into the solenoid body and when the grease gets stiff and/or
dirty the solenoid stops working.  I seem to recall using some
left over cv grease in mine, and it's been fine for the last year.

If it really is your solenoid, you'll especially notice it when
the engine is hot, and tapping the solenoid will often bring it
back to life.  It will get steadily worse until it simply refuses
to work.

        Gary