doublearrow

I have my engine in with no distributor. I got the starter bolted in this morning with the wires that were hooked up to it originally. I have not hooked the ground strap up to the engine yet.

Just to check that things were good power wise I connected the battery and as soon as I did the starter engaged and started turning the engine. I had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop. I crawled under double checked wiring then tried it again and same result.

I tried it again and no issues. I stuck the key in the ignition to see what happened. I bumped it twice no issue starter would engage and quit when I turned key back to off. I bumped it again and I had to disconnect the battery again to get it to quit. I've tried it a couple times since and it's not every time.

Its the same CVR mini starter I pulled off the old engine that was working fine 2 months ago. No ground strap on engine yet. Does it have to have the ground strap connected to engine block to start? Any ideas?

MelWff

it sounds like the starter solenoid is sticking

Mike Ward

Keep in mind that with no distributor in place the oil pump is not being driven.

MD Auto

Disconnect the small wires from the starter, the starter crank signal wire and ignition bypass wire if equipped , leave the main battery wire connected at the starter and reconnect the battery. If the starter cranks the problem is internal in the starter. If it does not crank , with the battery connected use a test light to test for power to the starter crank signal wire . You may have a short to power somewhere. Also if you have the starter bypass wire switched with the crank signal wire it could be feeding voltage back to the starter and engaging it . hope it helps .....Craig

doublearrow

Yep I'm hoping I didn't screw up. I don't know how many times it made it turn over.

Thanks for the help.
Yet again operator error on my end. This is the first time I've taken on a project like this and I have no one to turn to.
This starter is the same one that was on my old engine. I'll never tell how many hours I've spent on the starter alone, while dealing with the new engine. I had shimming problems that turned out not to be issues and this issue today. The car would have been started and cam break in done last week if it weren't for this #$%$%% starter.
Turns out everytime I pushed the starter up into place was the issue. The s terminal is loose and would turn and make contact with the connections on the other terminal making the solenoid have constant power.
And for the record it's a CVR starter. I didn't buy it, on the car when I bought it. The only way I've found to contact em is through email and they don't respond. I hate companies with no customer service.

augiedoggy

I'm in the same boat only I in properly shimmed my starter and crushed a bearing.. I replaced the bearing but I believe I screwed up my ignition. Switch now as everything but my key buzzer and voltage to the solenoid works.. I'm buying a mechanics starter bypass trigger switch today at harbor freight just to get it started and broken in.

pauldana

I have run into this problem... It is the mini starter you have.... The large battery wire terminal on the back of the starter, when torqued on it to tighten the nut to hold the wires, will move/slip in the socket that holds the stud... And then inside the starter it shorts and starts running.... If you move that nut/stud assembly clockwise/counterclockwise a bit the problem will go away... But is that safe?????? New starter... And not a china king unit....



And mike ward is very correct,,,,, I would get a blade down the distributor shaft with drill motor and pre prim your engine before anything else

hugie82

That's not a good situation with a flat tappet cam. Hopefully you had a lot of assembly lube on the lobes but if your cam wipes out, you know why
The starter might of had a tight fit between the flywheel and starter gear. Now that the gears broke in to a wear pattern, it should be ok.

doublearrow

Its hydraulic flat tappet. When i picked up the engine from the builder i asked what i needed to do to prime the engine. I asked about usi g an old distributor or a priming tool. He told me with the assembly lube he used he would just use a long blade screw driver and prime by hand. He said i would feel it starting to pick up oil and that would be good. Said no need to go over board. Im just going to convince myself that the starter spinning disnt hurt it and went ahead and bought a priming tool and will be priming before start up.