Bad starter solenoid on my '66?
07-12-2015, 01:54 AM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Bad starter solenoid on my '66?
I get a "grind me a pound" sound on start up sometimes (like missing a shift). 
Then on the next try, it starts fine with no unusual noise. I replaced the starter solenoid last year with a non GM part. Could this be the solenoid not throwing the starter drive gear out properly? The starter drive itself? Or that fact that I don't have any shims used. It's a 4 speed car and bolts up into the big block (not bell housing).
By coincidence, today, I had a no-power condition when I shut down and tried to re-start (no horn or anything). I checked under the hood, everything seemed fine, and then it started. Weird. I have one of those negative battery terminal shut off *****, used on a 1 year old (expensive!) Delco repro battery, which is always on trickle charge and had 13 volts at the time. I did notice that the black ground wire to the starter bolt (for the fan and wipers?) is hard and brittle from almost 50 years of heat. I was running the heater motor on high just prior to this (cooling system flush and fill). So all of this combined is suspicious.
By the way, I did find this great thread that I'll use to check things out with tomorrow:https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...nvertable.html along with some excellent pics and info posted by Frankie.
Then on the next try, it starts fine with no unusual noise. I replaced the starter solenoid last year with a non GM part. Could this be the solenoid not throwing the starter drive gear out properly? The starter drive itself? Or that fact that I don't have any shims used. It's a 4 speed car and bolts up into the big block (not bell housing). By coincidence, today, I had a no-power condition when I shut down and tried to re-start (no horn or anything). I checked under the hood, everything seemed fine, and then it started. Weird. I have one of those negative battery terminal shut off *****, used on a 1 year old (expensive!) Delco repro battery, which is always on trickle charge and had 13 volts at the time. I did notice that the black ground wire to the starter bolt (for the fan and wipers?) is hard and brittle from almost 50 years of heat. I was running the heater motor on high just prior to this (cooling system flush and fill). So all of this combined is suspicious.
By the way, I did find this great thread that I'll use to check things out with tomorrow:https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...nvertable.html along with some excellent pics and info posted by Frankie.
07-12-2015, 07:38 AM
#2
Team Owner
Hmmm... I don't see any posts by me in that thread....but JohnZ's post #4 in that thread prob nails down your 'no power' symptoms.
As to the grinding:
I had that identical issue on my '61....rebuilt the starter; played with some other things too. It never got solved until (when I was installing the 5 speed Tremec) we sent the flywheel out to get resurfaced and a new ring gear. It seems just the little bit of wear on the teeth would make the starter drive "miss" about one out of every 15 or so starts and make that clash.
Probably something you didn't want to hear
As to the grinding:
I had that identical issue on my '61....rebuilt the starter; played with some other things too. It never got solved until (when I was installing the 5 speed Tremec) we sent the flywheel out to get resurfaced and a new ring gear. It seems just the little bit of wear on the teeth would make the starter drive "miss" about one out of every 15 or so starts and make that clash.
Probably something you didn't want to hear
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 07-12-2015 at 07:42 AM.
07-12-2015, 08:31 AM
#3
Melting Slicks
One other cause of no power is the use of the green **** battery disconnect switch. After sometime the **** pits and the connection will become marginal. Use a Wirth knife blade switch.
07-12-2015, 08:35 AM
#4
Team Owner
I had two of them and intermittent "no power" issues with both (and no they weren't cheap Chinese versions); over time I had to tighten them down harder and harder to the point I couldn't loosen them without pliers. Off they came and have knife switches in both cars now.
07-12-2015, 09:09 AM
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The starter grinding? I would try a new starter drive and if that didn't fix it, it might be/could be the ring gear. I suppose it could also be a bad contact in the solenoid that isn't spinning the starter motor up in a timely manner.
Green ****? I used a cheap Chinese **** for about three years because I had a battery mysteriously draining overnight sometimes. I left it on the car until I finally got around to fixing the real issue and then threw the thing away. Once or twice, the contact got burnt/pitted. I just took it off and wiped it on concrete and put it back on and it worked. Pretty good for theft deterrence. Otherwise, you just wear out your hood release cable raising the hood every time you stop and start the car. Then you have other troubles.
Green ****? I used a cheap Chinese **** for about three years because I had a battery mysteriously draining overnight sometimes. I left it on the car until I finally got around to fixing the real issue and then threw the thing away. Once or twice, the contact got burnt/pitted. I just took it off and wiped it on concrete and put it back on and it worked. Pretty good for theft deterrence. Otherwise, you just wear out your hood release cable raising the hood every time you stop and start the car. Then you have other troubles.
07-13-2015, 08:53 AM
#6
X2 with Frankie. Sounds like a ring gear with a bad spot. Due to engine compression the ring gear will usuall stop in approximatley the same spots most of the time. Usually like 3 different spots. So it is kind of like playing russian roulette. So if you pull the trigger when it is on the bad spot something bad happens.
07-13-2015, 02:36 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
I had that same problem......I added shims to the starter.......problem solved. If the problem goes on for too long, the grinding will ruin the flywheel ring gear, and then you have a big job to replace the ring gear.
07-13-2015, 04:35 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
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I found this excellent thread on the green **** switch- https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ct-switch.html
I'm going to pull mine. But I tried the knife switch shown, and it would hit the heater box lead. Is there one with the knife blade pivoting on the left, swinging down to the right? That would fit (maybe because I have a big block?) I also see on the 3rd page, someone shows a battery terminal lead with a lever on the nut. Anyone have experience with this and know where to get it?
As far as the starter grind, I'll pull the inspection cover on the bell housing and check out the ring gear. Then try to shim the starter accordingly. I guess I can rule out the starter solenoid.
I'm going to pull mine. But I tried the knife switch shown, and it would hit the heater box lead. Is there one with the knife blade pivoting on the left, swinging down to the right? That would fit (maybe because I have a big block?) I also see on the 3rd page, someone shows a battery terminal lead with a lever on the nut. Anyone have experience with this and know where to get it?
As far as the starter grind, I'll pull the inspection cover on the bell housing and check out the ring gear. Then try to shim the starter accordingly. I guess I can rule out the starter solenoid.
07-13-2015, 05:34 PM
#9
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I would ask myself why I even needed a cutoff switch?