Intermittant No Start, No clicky, no nothing Options

[Jakester]

While I'm working on the water cooled VW, I have been using the teener as a daily driver for the last two weeks. Unfortunately, I have been left stranded twice since there is a starter circuit problem that is intermittant.

I can usually tell when it's coming because the last 2-3 times I start it before it crops up, there seems to be a slight delay in the starter engaging (like 1/2 sec). At first I thought it was heat related, but I got up this AM to start and nothing.

I can hear a relay under my pass seat click when starter circuit is made, but zero noise from the started itself. Things I've checked so far:

1) Battery charge - good
2) Battery connections - good, no corrosion, good ground to body
3) Tranny ground strap - present, nice and tight
4) Starter connections - present (although not pretty) and tight

I suspect the ignition switch, but all the jiggling in the world will not get even a click out of the starter. I did replace the ignition switch early on as it was in pieces. Also suspect the starter solenoid but usually you hear something from that area when it fails, don't you?

I drove the van to work this AM but I need to get it back to my wife at lunch and I REALLY don't want to push start the teener (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smash.gif)

Thanks for your ideas.