Ok.. here's what happened. Last fall I started having problems with the car not wanting to start after it's been driven a while. (usually sits on a trickle charger when at home) I would just get the starter solenoid clicking. I kinda figured my charging system was weak and replaced the alternator this winter. Everything seemed good until a couple of weeks ago when I installed my new speakers and attempted to turn on the stereo to listen to them. Anyway my battery was only showing 10V when it was off the charger. So I put in a new battery and that took care of that problem. Now I tried to start the car and all I get is the solenoid clicking again without the starter engaging. So I go ahead and replace the starter with a new one and also the grounding cable to the starter since it has seen better days. I was hoping that would take care of it but apparently not. When I try to start it I still just get the clicking of the solenoid without it engaging even on the brand new starter. I tried jumping the 'S' terminal of the starter to the + battery terminal of the starter with the ignition on and still the same thing. I'm just getting really frustrated cause I know it's gotta be somehitng simple that I'm overlooking here. I haven't had to troubleshoot a starter system since high school and those days are all hazy by now. Any suggestions?

 

Battery cable, maybe. The positive cable is (if I remember right) 96" long and it doesn't take a whole lot of corrosion inside the insulation to start causing you problems. I'd check that, and I'd pull the negative cable where it grounds to the frame and clean that up really good.

JB

 

Is it possible that you have a slow drain on the battery so as it sits it looses juice? Check it with a test light between the negative terminal and ground.

 

Have you checked your frame to engine ground. This moves around a bit from year to year so I can't tell you where to look, but it's the primary source for starter and engine power. It's a large #2/4 wire tied directly between the frame and the engine/transmission.

Just a thought.

Andy

 

OK< firt things first, find and grind down all negative lead chassis connections, follow the lead from the battery and polish all the metal on the chassis end of things, replace star grounding washer with a new one, or use one if not there....then bury it in RTV after tight and fresh...
NOW under the passenger's side motor mount is a similar grounding wire for the engine...do the same thing, both ends.....
now remove and polish the positive end, star washer, same treatment, skip the RTV....
I assume you been all over the battery terminals on the battery, I tend to use something for winter boat engine storage, it kills batter corrosion dead in it's tracks.....it's called FOGGING OIL, clean everything up super clean with wire brush, bolts, clamps, etc....and assemble securely, then spary hell out of it with fogging oil, coat everything well, let dry for a week or two, then spray again....dun deal, no more corrosion...

assuming you have stock thickness wires, and good charging, good battery, that car spins over NOW....

GENE

 

Call me a negative Nelly, but I think the voltage regulator needs a bit of attention, too. Even though the connections are prolly the culprits.
Weasle :D

 

I'm having a similar problem with my '82 Corvette where it doesn't want to start after being driven a while. I don't get anything (no sound other than the radio/stereo) when trying to start it. But, if I what some time (hours) it will start right up. I'm not a mechanic, but did want to have some clues before taking it to a mechanic for help.

Any suggestions?

 

That is the classic symptom for heat soak. The starter gets hot from the exhaust and no longer wants to turn the motor over. You might have to replace the starter. You can also had a heat shield, or heat blanket to help the starter keep a little cooler.

AC

 

:cheers:

 

I've gone over all the connections and everything is clean and tight. I took a look at some voltage readings. I have 12V on the battery connection to the starter although it does drop to about 3.5V when I'm cranking. I have 12V to the 'S' terminal of the starter and also have 12V on the 'R' terminal of the starter when the key is on. Any other ideas? :confused:

 

3.5v? :lol: 12v :lol:
a good battery will have 12.6v charged. A bad battery might have 12.6 charged but will drop with a load.
any c3 should maintain at least 9v cranking, more like 10v when batt is new.
Once i had a short on my 61 and the brake line glowed red hot! My point is if it is a good charged battery and it drops to 3.5v there will be one heck of a smokin' hot spot somewhere, and that will be the cause or the effect of the problem.
i would swap in another battery from your other car, as some new batterys are bad NEW!

 

I had similar problems recently with starting, I thought my switch was bad, after dropping the column and replacing the switch it turned out that I had a wire that had rubbed against my distributor sheild long enough that it cut through the insulation and was shorting out. Point is: check all your wires that are running to and from your starter, I learned this one the hard way :conehead A good multi-meter is a must for this one. Good luck! :cheers:


[Modified by Sean Willard, 4:15 PM 5/25/2002]

 

I spent the last couple of hours Ohm checking all the wires to the starter and everything reads 0.2 Ohms or less. I finally got in and clamped a probe onto the solenoid terminal of the solenoid and cranked it while I read voltage. I'm getting 3.42V when I crank and even though nothing is glowing red my battery does smell real bad. If I disconnect the wire and check while I crank I seeing 12.3V. The battery I have in there now was from one of my other cars in storage (I pulled the battery and leave it on a trickle charger in the basement on the workbench over winter to keep it charged up). Does it sound like I should try another battery or look somewhere else?

 

Yup... it was the battery. The battery I pulled was good but it was from a V6 car and was only rated for 600CA. I pulled ht ebattery form my dad's L82 powered Nova and it turned over no problem. Got everything put back together and got it out on the road for the first time this year :cool: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: Thanks for your help everyone