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'65 starter pic's - solenoid problem?

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Old 07-07-2017, 07:56 AM
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Default '65 starter pic's - solenoid problem?

Hi, I've had an issue starting the car recently. Turn the key, nothing. Took the starter off this am. Do these pic's show any wear? I'm bringing my starter to Con-Rel (Schenectady NY) this AM. They rebuild starters and alternators etc... . Dave Connell is a grea

t guy and does top notch work.



Thank you, Chuck
Old 07-07-2017, 09:12 AM
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That doesn't look too bad to me. But if it's not doing anything at all, no click or anything, the problem is at the other end--the solenoid.

Of course, the problem could be elsewhere, like the ignition switch. Have you tested it off the car by applying 12 volts to the solenoid terminals?
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Old 07-07-2017, 09:31 AM
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John BX NY
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Looks like normal wear on a rebuilt starter drive pinion in my opinion. If you take the solenoid off and remove the brown cover you may see some corrosion or pitting on the contact ring and fingers. I turned the ring around to the other side and cleaned the contacts and my 67 starter worked fine.


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Old 07-07-2017, 06:00 PM
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Default 7 hours later

I dropped my starter off at 8:30 this am, and got it back at 4pm this afternoon. Looks a little different. $ 74 bucks, completely rebuilt.




Old 07-08-2017, 08:45 AM
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That looks fantastic.

I'll assume that they went through it 100%?

If so, and the solenoid contacts were your problem, you should be golden.

If that's a numbers matching starter to your Corvette, you probably did well to get it rebuilt prophylactically against a potentially greater failure, particularly at that price.
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Old 07-08-2017, 09:06 AM
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Con Rel checked the #'s and determined that it was not a matching #'s starter. Installed, started right up. Time will tell if this corrected my issue. I'll assume all is well. Chuck
Old 07-16-2017, 09:26 PM
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Default '65 rebuilt starter- starting issue

Ok, after rebuilding my starter, my 327 started great, until today. I thought my problem was solved. I used the car four times today, short local drives. Tonight I attempted to start it to drive to dinner, nothing!!!
No, clicking nothing as I Turned the key. Came home two hours later and for the heck of it, I tried it. Started right up??? Any thoughts???
Old 07-16-2017, 09:37 PM
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When it does nothing, do your interior lights, radio, etc work?

Good place to start is battery cables and if you have a cutoff switch, that would also be a place to start. (pun)

First check to see if your cabin electrical still works when it does nothing, and whether the battery gauge moves left when you turn the key and nothing happens.
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Old 07-16-2017, 09:52 PM
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Okay, so no click means the solenoid isn't operating. The question is, is the solenoid bad or is the problem somewhere else? If it's somewhere else the likely culprit is the ignition switch or the wiring between the ignition switch and the solenoid.

Optimally, when the car won't start, you'd want to run a jumper from the battery terminal to the S terminal on the solenoid. If that makes the solenoid operate, then you know the problem is not the solenoid, but is the wiring or the switch to it.

It sounds like your problem is an intermittent one. Since it might not be practical to get under the car the next time this happens, what I would do is wire in a jumper with a switch between those terminals so that I could easily test this the next time it happens.

This will tell you if the solenoid is the problem or not. If it is, then you can swap it out. If it's not, then you need to determine if the ignition switch is the problem or if it's the wiring between the switch and the solenoid. That should be simple enough.
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Old 07-17-2017, 08:12 AM
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Stop guessing and buy yourself a cheap $2 test light and see what's hot and what's not. You'll save a lot of time and wasted money.
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Old 07-17-2017, 10:58 AM
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Default Test light

Originally Posted by MikeM
Stop guessing and buy yourself a cheap $2 test light and see what's hot and what's not. You'll save a lot of time and wasted money.
Hi Mike, not being an electrical type guy, what and where do I do that test. I'll buy a test light today. Thx, Chuck
Old 07-17-2017, 11:33 AM
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If you'll answer what happens on the two things I asked in the last paragraph in post 8, we can eliminate some possibilities and move toward the problem.
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Old 07-17-2017, 09:47 PM
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Ok, my car has lights and radio on acc. on a no start attempt. The alternator gauge has not worked, along with the clock since I bought the car in October. Battery cables are new and tight. Thx.
Old 07-17-2017, 09:48 PM
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Forgot to say the battery is strong. No issues there.
Old 07-18-2017, 06:25 AM
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See if your test light will light up on the purple wire at the starter solenoid while a helper turns the key to start. If it doesn't light up, trace the circuit back toward the switch until you get power.

You can also jump from the purple wire (small) terminal to the battery terminal and activate the starter. Try this as well while you're down there.

Make sure the car is out of gear.
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Old 07-20-2017, 09:28 PM
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The purple "start" wire has a black plastic in-line connector above the wiper motor where the Powerglide neutral safety switch splices in - check that connection to make sure it's secure - if it's not, you will have precisely the same condition you've described (cabin has power, but solenoid doesn't click).
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Old 07-20-2017, 10:30 PM
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Default Now a 4 spd. by PO.

Originally Posted by JohnZ
The purple "start" wire has a black plastic in-line connector above the wiper motor where the Powerglide neutral safety switch splices in - check that connection to make sure it's secure - if it's not, you will have precisely the same condition you've described (cabin has power, but solenoid doesn't click).
Hi John, my car has a four speed installed by the last owner. FYI. Thx, Chuck

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Old 07-20-2017, 11:35 PM
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Pictured below is the connector which JohnZ was describing. All cars came with this in the harness. If the car had an automatic these connections were "undone" and the neutral safety switch was connected there. This is an easy place to check for power.




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Old 07-21-2017, 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by buns
Pictured below is the connector which JohnZ was describing. All cars came with this in the harness. If the car had an automatic these connections were "undone" and the neutral safety switch was connected there. This is an easy place to check for power.




It's also an easy place to apply power. If you apply power there and the starter works, the problem is not the starter.
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Old 07-22-2017, 11:45 AM
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Originally Posted by MikeM
It's also an easy place to apply power. If you apply power there and the starter works, the problem is not the starter.
good idea


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