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So i decided to try to start my 83 westy today (1.9 water boxer) and she won't turn over, the battery is freshly charged, but she cranks like its dead. Put the battery back on the charger, and it says its good (not 100% but still in the green zone). I was having this problem in the fall before I took her off the road, and assumed it was the battery, but like I said, the charger seems to think the battery isn't the issue. I also tried the battery out of my Toyota Tercel, with the same results, and yet in my Toyota, she fores right up. Any ideas what may be causing this before I have her towed in for a look at the garage?

Are all the battery positive and ground connections free of voltage drops. You can also pull the plugs ground the coil wire to prevent ignition and crank it over to eliminate hydro lock. You may just have a tired starter.

thats kind of what I'm thinking, though the battery looks to be kind of old too, perhaps both could stand a replacing. Thanks!

The Toyota has a known good battery. Put the Van battery in the Toyo to check it.

Have a helper to turn the ignition switch for you and then read the voltage drop at every connection. Post to cable, one end of a cable to the other, cable to solenoid post, etc, including doing all your grounds.

Your local discount auto may have an induction ammeter that will show your actual current draw as well.

thanks folks, I'll let ya know!

pull the plug till you get to the rusty one,, crank it, till all the water is out,, knock off the rust from the plug, reinstall and fire her up.

forgot to update this one, after playing with it myself, I turned it over to my friendly neighborhood Napa shop. Turned out to be bad connections that I couldn't see (or didn't know where to look) within a half hour they had her running like new.