First, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
Second: No start problem. As usual, my situation is just slightly different from others I've found in this forum. Car starts normally first time out. May start just fine if I stop, wait a while or not, hit "start" and she will start right up. Sooner or later, mostly sooner, when I turn the key to "start", nothing. The voltmeter indicates a rather steep discharge and absolutely nothing happens. Key in "run" position everything looks normal (i.e. radio, lights, etc). I check the battery and it reads 12.6. Hook up jumper cables and it'll fire right up. I had a problem a short while ago: When I'd hit "start" I'd get one "click" and that was all. Replaced the solenoid and it has worked fine for about 2 months. Very possible one has to do with the other but I have no idea. All help will be greatly appreciated. Have a great day, Bill
BTW, '74 4spd.

 

Are you saying it wont crank when hot? Do you have headers?

 

Hmm so as soon as jumper cables are hooked up it fires? I would look for simple stuff first. Ensure the cables are all fine and tight at battery, starter and alternator. Since you replaced solenoid I would check there first and make sure none of the cables are shorting.

 

Big Bird: Hadn't thought of the "hot" thing. Something to pursue. No, no headers.

Akdale: My feeling is you're right, it's gotta be connected to the replaced solenoid. I'm not fluent in electric stuff but will put a meter on the starter tomorrow and see what I can. (I'm positive it will act normal if I try and duplicate the problem.) I have checked that the cables/wires are tight. The deal that kind of gets to me is the thing starts when jumped.

Thanks for the replies and will welcome anyone else with ideas. Have a wonnerful week, Bill

 

Hello there,
I would check your ground cables first, yes, they may "look" fine but check with a good multi meter. Then check your positive cables as well. So many people just "Look" and say it looks good it must be good. A bad connection could easily cause the problem you are having.

I have seen some amazing voltage drops on Corvettes. Here are two tests that might help you.

1. Put the Positive (Red) lead from your meter on your battery Positive post (+12Vdc) then take the negative (Black) lead and touch your engine block. You should see full battery voltage plus or minus .1-.2 volts

2. On C4's you check the battery positive bus behind the battery but since this is a C3 check at your fuse block with the Positive (Red) lead from the meter and go to Battery Ground with the negative(black) lead and again there should be full battery voltage. I have seen places where the voltage drops more than three volts due to invisible corrosion.

If your meter has a Min/Max function you might try reading the battery voltage while starting the car. Any good battery should not drop below 10 volts under that load.

Using your meter check the voltage available at the Starter battery terminal and the engine block, you should see full battery voltage there as well.

Good luck and Have a Very Merry Christmas!

 

The solenoid CAN be the problem. Reason being....it can be a crappy one. And do not ask me how I know this...because EVERYTHING is not as it may seem.

What you can do is this. I have found that the large stud on the solenoid where you attached your positive battery cable may be loose a little bit. You MIGHT think that you can reach down and feel if the positive battery cable it tight....and it might seem that it is...but actually it is NOT.

You might find that when you loosen the nut that holds the positive battery cable on thus stud...and the cable was TIGHT to the jamb nut UNDER IT on the solenoid....BUT ...when you loosen the nut....thus loosening the cable end.... the stud NOW has free play in it.....so...the jamb nut holding the stud to your solenoid cover is allowing a problem to develop.

I can not tell you on how many cars I have fixed issues like this and what i described was the culprit. BUT...it all depends on the quality of teh solenoid and its internal parts under the cover.

I have taken solenoid a part and seen what some companies are doing...because I know what an original solenoid should look like under the cover....ad if a person does this and see how things work under the cover...then they will see what happens if a problem like this goes on for too long...the internal parts may need to be cleaned up to get it to work correct....or need to replace the solenoid again because the internal parts are crappy and not made to last if incorrectly secured and damaged by sever arcing. So...make sure that the jamb nuts on a ALL of the threaded studs are tight. ESPECIALLY the one for the positive battery cable.

I am not so sure that unless the starter is fairly new...possibly looking at the brushes and see how badly worn they are and thus this can possibly lead to the bearing in the main housing and the end cap are bad and worn causing the armature not be correct also...and when it gets hot....it gets worse due to expansion.

DUB

 

After checking the cheap stuff, it turned out to be the starter motor itself. I'd like to thank all who replied, especially Big2Bird who got me on the right track with the "hot" comment. Apparently when it heated up a bit, it went kaput. Hope y'all have a Most Happy New Year, Bill