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Still starter problems

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Old Mar 18, 2015 | 08:43 AM
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Default Still starter problems

Battery passes load test. Hooked up a new neg cable from battery to starter. Cleaned the grounds, including neg battery cable. Installed new ignition switch. New starter. The starter will engage and rotate the flywheel once or twice, then the starter gear will come out, not rotating, not engage the flywheel. The battery is new, CCA 785. Should I get a stronger battery? I am at a loss here.
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Old Mar 18, 2015 | 09:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Franks73
Battery passes load test. Hooked up a new neg cable from battery to starter. Cleaned the grounds, including neg battery cable. Installed new ignition switch. New starter. The starter will engage and rotate the flywheel once or twice, then the starter gear will come out, not rotating, not engage the flywheel. The battery is new, CCA 785. Should I get a stronger battery? I am at a loss here.
Do you mean new positive cable from battery to starter?
There is no negative cable running to the battery - it grounds to the block. Have you checked the block ground to the frame just below the passenger motor mount?

Last edited by Hammerhead Fred; Mar 18, 2015 at 09:57 AM.
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Old Mar 18, 2015 | 02:00 PM
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Did you clean the engine block to frame ground wire? Have the battery load tested. You may have gotten a bad new battery.
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Old Mar 18, 2015 | 03:24 PM
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The starter solenoid should be getting max voltage/current from the ignition switch when starting. On my 80 I found the ignition switch would sometimes not supply enough to the solenoid and was worse when hot. To test put a terminal on a piece of wire and attach to the solenoid start contact (wire from ignition switch start position connects here). Turn on ignition (make sure car is in park and or neutral) then connect other end of wire to battery Just touch to battery terminal enough to let starter turn over to see if start works.

If that is the problem I fixed by connecting ignition start wire to a relay I mounted on firewall then run battery power to starter through a relay. May seem strange to have another relay but it works. Also use fusible link near battery just in case it shorts at some point.
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Old Mar 18, 2015 | 04:28 PM
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Default Starter challenge

Originally Posted by Hammerhead Fred
Do you mean new positive cable from battery to starter?
There is no negative cable running to the battery - it grounds to the block. Have you checked the block ground to the frame just below the passenger motor mount?
Yes I meant the pos cable from battery to starter. I have two ground cables from the block, and a head to the frame. Clean metal at the frame and block.
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Old Mar 18, 2015 | 04:31 PM
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Default Starter challenge

Originally Posted by my 76 ray
Did you clean the engine block to frame ground wire? Have the battery load tested. You may have gotten a bad new battery.
Cleaned the ground anchor points. Battery seems to pass the load test using a tester tool at the shop I am working with. I may yet pull the battery, and go back to the parts place, and have them load test it. Even considering if more CCA would help. Thanks for replying.
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Old Mar 18, 2015 | 04:36 PM
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Default Starter challenge

Originally Posted by DaveL82
The starter solenoid should be getting max voltage/current from the ignition switch when starting. On my 80 I found the ignition switch would sometimes not supply enough to the solenoid and was worse when hot. To test put a terminal on a piece of wire and attach to the solenoid start contact (wire from ignition switch start position connects here). Turn on ignition (make sure car is in park and or neutral) then connect other end of wire to battery Just touch to battery terminal enough to let starter turn over to see if start works.

If that is the problem I fixed by connecting ignition start wire to a relay I mounted on firewall then run battery power to starter through a relay. May seem strange to have another relay but it works. Also use fusible link near battery just in case it shorts at some point.
Interesting idea. Some of the race cars at the shop seem to be set up that way. I installed a new ignition switch hoping that would correct it. No change. Thanks for the suggestion. Your car looks sharp!
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