occasionally my van wont start

[Paulwillie1000]

Twice in the past couple of weeks when i have turned the ignition there has been nothing,the dash lights come on, but the van doesnot even turn over, i have managed to start it by giving it a jolt by turning the key whilst in gear, as rocking didnt do the job.
is this a starter motor problem or maybe a wiring problem,
any ideas where to start would be greatly appreciated
Cheers
Paul

 

[Purplemonsta]

Do you hear a clicking when you turn the key?
Could be a dirty connection on the starter, the solenoid on the way out, or inside the end cap of the starter, the commutator gets gummed up and stops working (clean out the grooves)

Try cleaning the connections first (disconnect battery before doing anything to the starter!!)

 

[Trikky2]

Check the condition of the connections on your starter motor.

Next time it doesent start use a test light or meter to see if you get power on the small spade terminal on the starter motor when your assistant turns the key to start.

If no then your ignition switch is probably at fault and you need to repeat the test on the back of the ign switch.

If yes then the starter solenoid is the problem. These can often be cleaned up and they work again. They can also be replaced (without the whole starter motor).