Stumped

[Stesaw]

Ok so recently I've been having a maddening issue with the van that I've gone through pretty much everything to no avail.
Sometimes when starting I just get the click of the starter, give it a few key turns and will fire up, sometimes fires first time no issues.
New Starter + bush
Different batteries
All grounds cleaned and added new ground on starter motor bolt to chassis.
New ignition switch
Checked wiring all seems fine with continuity from front to back and from key to fusebox
If I take the power wire from the fusebox to key and put it directly onto the battery it fires every time first time.

FuseBox?? can they go bad? X Relay maybe?? 

[Lillythefrenchie2026]

Cheapest option would be to replace the relay first and test again

[silverbullet]

Solenoid power wire connection is loose/green

[Stesaw]

solenoid wire is nice and tight also clean, checked that before doing anything.
pretty sure the relay is working as intended as when i try start if i have the blower on the blower cuts out when cranking. ive got a spare (somewhere) i can try.

[davidoft1]

Run a separate wire straight to the solenoid trigger , if it fixes the problem you most likely have power drop in the wiring, a hot start relay can solve the problem and is easy enough to do

[Stesaw]

Yeah I tried a wire from the Solenoid and just put it against the alternator 12V, Starter works everytime.
But again its strange, In my messings to check off everything I took the power wire for the key the big spade terminal on the CE1 fusebox thats next to the main feed from the battery and connected that right to the battery and it fires up every time. So Im assuming its the main power wire from the battery causing the issue as the fusebox checks out with the multimeter.

OR something connected to the fusebox is causing it?

[simonmarsh]

Could it be the earth ? I have read that can be an issue and the fix is to run an earth cable (I assume from one of the starter mounting bolts) to a known good earth?

[simonmarsh]

Sorry re-read your post and you have done that

[davidoft1]

Yeah I tried a wire from the Solenoid and just put it against the alternator 12V, Starter works everytime.
But again its strange, In my messings to check off everything I took the power wire for the key the big spade terminal on the CE1 fusebox thats next to the main feed from the battery and connected that right to the battery and it fires up every time. So Im assuming its the main power wire from the battery causing the issue as the fusebox checks out with the multimeter.

OR something connected to the fusebox is causing it?

It’s probably a series of current drops over each connection/component, if it starts every time with a lead straight to the starter , fit a hot start relay, it will fix the issue

[silverbullet]

Is the battery earth cable good i.e. almost nil resistance? Marginal earth return can be good in humid or damp conditions but poor when dry.

[Stesaw]

Yep resistance is barely there, although its got a strand or two broken where it bolts to the body. Going to add a temp wire onto it and see how things go, when replace if need be.

[Aidan]

Is this the not quite yet Syncro ?
currently running a 2wd box ?
with the 2wd gearbox earth strap ?

[Stesaw]

Thats right Aidan has the 2WD strap its not under tension or anything (cleaned up, checked and the x member was cleaned) , plus a ground from the starter bolt to chassis also has a ground from the block to the chassis leg on the rear, I wanted to be sure  .

I will be investigating the battery ground tomorrow and will update then. 
After all the faffing it does point to somewhere there be it ground or the battery but as I've tried two batteries it seems unlikely they are both duff.

[mioba]

Yep resistance is barely there, although its got a strand or two broken where it bolts to the body. Going to add a temp wire onto it and see how things go, when replace if need be.

A strand or 2 can be significant. The strands are pretty meaty if you look at them.

Many places on Ebay will make battery cables.

[silverbullet]

Yep resistance is barely there, although its got a strand or two broken where it bolts to the body. Going to add a temp wire onto it and see how things go, when replace if need be.

A strand or 2 can be significant. The strands are pretty meaty if you look at them.

Many places on Ebay will make battery cables.

Agree with that, probably some corroded ones in there too and resistance under load when carrying a lot of amps is rather different to a multimeter continuity test