98 Dodge Caravan Question on Starting

Hi there,

For the last couple of weeks, when I turn on the ignition to start the van
I get a click and nothing else. Turning the key back to the off position,
then back to the start position normally starts the van. Today on a cold
day, I had to do this procedure 4 or 5 times before the van would start.

When the van starts there are no problems, it runs perfectly.

The battery is new and the mileage is 96 000 km.

Any ideas as to what this problem could be?

How cold is where you live? When was the last time you did a standard
tune up


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It's about -10 today and it was serviced about month ago.

Further to my initial posting, I tried the van again and this time the
starter stayed engaged. I turned the ignition key off and it still
stayed engaged for a few seconds before it dropped out.

Since this happened, I have had no trouble starting the vehicle again. I
now suspect it is the starter relay. Does this sound reasonable?

In article
.com>,
"xblazinlv" > wrote:

> How cold is where you live? When was the last time you did a standard
> tune up
>
>
> http://www.carforums.net/
> Auto Forums

What does a "standard tune up" have to do with an inoperative
starter?

In article
outautos.com>,
"allscotcan" > wrote:

> Further to my initial posting, I tried the van again and this time the
> starter stayed engaged. I turned the ignition key off and it still
> stayed engaged for a few seconds before it dropped out.
>
> Since this happened, I have had no trouble starting the vehicle again. I
> now suspect it is the starter relay. Does this sound reasonable?

The subtle hints that your starter is giving won't go on
forever...
You need new contacts in the starter solenoid.

http://www.autosupply.ws/contacts.htm

3401 and 3408 IIRC

Ummmmm hmm let me think. Maybe because that would indicate when the
last time he changed his cap & rotor or maintenanced other ignition
equipment. There are a lot of things that could cause startup problems,
it isn't always necessarily the starter.


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Auto Forums

In article
. com>,
"xblazinlv" > wrote:

> Ummmmm hmm let me think.

That would be original.

> Maybe because that would indicate when the
> last time he changed his cap & rotor or maintenanced other ignition
> equipment.

Odds are only one in four that his van even -has- a "cap & rotor."

> There are a lot of things that could cause startup problems,
> it isn't always necessarily the starter.

Well, there certainly are, but when the starter doesn't engage at
all, it sure as hell isn't the "cap & rotor."

98 caravan shouldn't have a "cap & rotor"

In article
outautos.com>,
"smwheeler" > wrote:

> 98 caravan shouldn't have a "cap & rotor"

You sure about that?