Bad Battery vs Bad Starter

First, put a battery charger on the battery for over night. Get a load tester, and check the battery for resilience after the load. OR, use a multimeter, and watch voltage as you remove the charger. If its dropping, then you have a problem. If not, try to start the van. If the voltage drops below 10.5v, and the starter turns, suspect battery problems. If the voltage drops out and the starter does not turn, replace the starter. This assumes the engine is not seized.

Always load test the battery and check its voltage first when diagnosing an automotive electrical problem. This proves that your power source is good, allowing you to find the problem, rather than wonder how much voltage you lost in the bad circuit.

(settles in to await the inevitable horde of electrical engineers and wannabees that will contradict proper 12v neg ground troubleshooting)

I just went out and tried it because the charger has been on the battery for the past 5 hours. I tried both of what you mention. The volage at battery was about 13.5 volts with charger and really did not drop after charger was removed. I put meter on battery and tried to start. I went from 13.xx to about 12.88 at start position then back up to 12.98 after I turned the key to off position, but still no starter movement or noise. Solenoid is on starter.

Bad starter now? Should I still try to jump the starter terminals?

Thanks for the input

Clean and check your battery terminals. When you try to start, does the dome light stay bright, or does it dim out? (try to start with the door open...)

Sounds like a bad connection to me.

Did you check for voltage at the starter main lug (where the heavy cable connects)?

Stays bright

I will do that in a little while. When I tried it yesterday, the battery was dead and I got 0 voltage.

If you got 0 volts measuring at the battery posts the battery is junk. You want to check for a draw when you replace the battery so you don't ruin the next one.

it shows 12 volts today, but not even a click with the starter. I guess I better take the battery down to a place to have it tested for draw

Ouch... Check the solenoid next. Not looking good...

But the strange thing is that on Friday, it did start but with trouble. Like the battery was low. I will be under there tomorrow. No time today to do that.

I would try jumping the starter solenoid terminals with a well charged battery. If it cranks without a problem, then it's in the wiring which supplies current to the solenoid. If it's a wiring problem I would suspect the ignition switch or either end of the wire which leads from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid.

Yup, bad starter. No reason to jump the terminals. The drop in voltage was due to the load placed on it via the starter relay. The battery has rected normally.