When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have a 1981 standard corvette. I don't drive it often and installed a new battery in 2017. Only used a battery tender when it was stored. This year she was having trouble starting to the point i felt the battery was dying / dead. Even after having the tender on it during the summer. So i replaced the battery. I then started it up and it still had trouble turning over. It did turn over on the third try. I took it to a local mechanic and they said based on listening to it try to start, that it was the starter or solenoid going bad. They wanted $450 to start for a diagnosis. That's crazy high. They are not getting my business. A solenoid is only $200 at most. :/
What do i need to do to diagnose it myself. And are either of them hard to replace yourself.
Thanks.
Last edited by Blondie - C3; Oct 17, 2021 at 12:39 PM.
hmm,
starters are easy to me, to fix.
solenoids move the drive gear to the flywheel
and when fully engaged send electric juice to the motor to turn and start engine.
if it cranks slowly then solenoid is moving the gear and may not let full juice to the motor.
Or, more likely the starter motor brushes are not cleanly and fully giving juice to the armature windings creating the magnetic force needed.
this is a short sweet description of what the starter does and how.
This is taking for granted that the bat cable is clean and fully allowing the juice to reach the starter.
the hard part of rebuild is getting the brushes in, aligned and held open so you can put the armature in.
I recommend a rebuild because crap starters rebuilt today draw more amps than they should.
$450?
If you have ramps you can fix this yourself for less than $50 !!!!
Like calwldlife said, this is an easy and basic repair. In that if you are going to be the proud owner of a Vette you need to be the prouder repair guy too.
Unhook NEG at batt, remove three nuts on the solenoid wiring, two starter bolts and a bracket.
Its heavy, but doable. Swap out the solenoid on the workbench. Starter is most likely ok. Solenoids fail about four times to one starter ratio.
Always splurge on solenoids. The more expensive ceramic cap (brown) on the solenoid is heat resistant.
You can do this. Save a ton of money.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Oct 17, 2021 at 01:58 PM.
Thank you for the details. Is the solenoid the part attached to the starter? If the car does start, but not on the first try, how do i determine if either of those parts are going bad? Or do i have to wait for it to just not start and then determine what is bad.
You mentioned: if it cranks slowly then solenoid is moving the gear and may not let full juice to the motor. Or, more likely the starter motor brushes are not cleanly and fully giving juice to the armature windings creating the magnetic force needed.
So for now, i may go out and it starts right up. Or some times it hesitates and i have to try turning it over 2 or 3 times. The car is 81 with only 42k miles on it. It is very clean in the engine. I am thinking of trying to leave it in place, remove each wire, clean the connections and hook it back up to see if that helps. Where is the solenoid so i can clean those connections also?
Thank you for the details. Is the solenoid the part attached to the starter? If the car does start, but not on the first try, how do i determine if either of those parts are going bad? Or do i have to wait for it to just not start and then determine what is bad.
You mentioned: if it cranks slowly then solenoid is moving the gear and may not let full juice to the motor. Or, more likely the starter motor brushes are not cleanly and fully giving juice to the armature windings creating the magnetic force needed.
So for now, i may go out and it starts right up. Or some times it hesitates and i have to try turning it over 2 or 3 times. The car is 81 with only 42k miles on it. It is very clean in the engine. I am thinking of trying to leave it in place, remove each wire, clean the connections and hook it back up to see if that helps. Where is the solenoid so i can clean those connections also?
I can't hear it from here.
Last edited by calwldlife; Oct 17, 2021 at 01:58 PM.
I agree, I do need to tend to her myself. I have done some work on what i can. It sounds like this is doable. again, is the solenoid the part on top the starter. I watched a youtube on how to remove the starter and it looks like it is two components attached to each other.
Yes the solenoid is on top of the starter. The solenoid is only removable on the workbench. Couple bolts, easy.
Solenoid can be had at any local parts store. Ask for ceramic capped.
The heat from years & years of the exhaust pipe and the block destroys the solenoid. There should be a heat shield on there too.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Oct 17, 2021 at 02:23 PM.
I will say, if I drop a starter, I make like new regardless of what is bad.
Clean connections, study the wires to see if corroded, because that starter should last longer than 40k.
Even though there was a saying about cars in that era, at 30k is when **** starts to break.
Heads up is probably right about the brushes being ok. Thus solenoid is burned.
I would check brushes, clean the armature where the brushes ride, and look it over.
I bet there are many youtube vids about checking and repairing starters.
Thank you both of you for the tips and thoughts on this project and support in being able to do it myself. I will take it on. Take care and have an easy winter.
yup, in past I've fixed/rebuilt a many 10MT ... but now ...
for Less than a hundred bucks you can retrofit the whole shebang ... from the heavy OE 10MT to a New modern Permanent Magnet Gear Reduction starter (e.g. PG260) like those the General has installed OE for last 25 or so years. Major Improvement in half-weight, reliability, efficiency, performance.
if ya do ... read this closely ... particularly the info about bolts. ...boring but critical. https://autoprollc.com/wp-content/up...eb2016_web.pdf
https://www.dbelectrical.com/starters/
We already know your '81 has No points, thus needs No "R" terminal on solenoid cap; only other Q is whether the current starter bolt-pattern are two straight across or two staggered?
straight or staggered ??? and I can recommend a PG260 starter from DB for under $70. No, have no vested interest.
yup, in past I've fixed/rebuilt a many 10MT ... but now ...
This is good advice, and I almost thought I needed to follow it a few weeks ago.
I recently had symptoms like yours in my 80. I knew it wasn't the battery (nearly new, fully charged). Wiggling the ground cable caused the power to flutter, and it wasn't passing enough current to start the car reliably. I removed the ground connection to the frame, cleaned, sanded, reassembled with new hardware. That wasn't it. It was one of the bolts of my battery quick disconnect.
I use two-piece RaceRamps, they make getting under the car really easy for oil changes and small stuff. They are probably the second best $250- I've ever spent on tools. The first was a 1/2" drive DeWalt impact wrench, and an 80 ft/lb torque stick, which obsoleted all of my air tools. Check the approach angle on your car. The 54" RaceRamps also work with my 80.
I was waiting for the , get a better starter
post.
And you are correct, there are some great powerful starters available at reasonable prices.
Yup, the starter in your post #2 pic looks like it may be a PMGR piece.
Only caveat to the swap to PMGR that I can see is ... if owner is showing the car at an event that's judged for originality points; if so, owner should repair & retain OE 10MT,
Thank you both of you for the tips and thoughts on this project and support in being able to do it myself. I will take it on. Take care and have an easy winter.
I just pulled the starter on my 73. Other than changing the oil, was the first time I've ever done work on a car. I jacked it up onto some 10" race ramps cribs and it went pretty smoothly. If I can do it, anyone can. Now, just have to figure out how to swap the bendix as the gear was chewed up - guessing due to bad solenoid as it is stuck in the engaged position. Trying to decide myself whether to swap the parts or go new starter.
Last edited by durinsbane; Oct 18, 2021 at 11:53 AM.
I just pulled the starter on my 73. Other than changing the oil, was the first time I've ever done work on a car. I jacked it up onto some 10" race ramps cribs and it went pretty smoothly. If I can do it, anyone can. Now, just have to figure out how to swap the bendix as the gear was chewed up - guessing due to bad solenoid as it is stuck in the engaged position. Trying to decide myself whether to swap the parts or go new starter.
seems yours has the staggered pattern and thus the larger 168T flywheel/flexplate. If so, the starter I linked in my P#12 will work for yours as well. It has the "R" terminal to go with '73 points ignition. If you've swapped to another type type trigger; simply disregard the "R" terminal. As before, pay attention correct starter bolts.
I just pulled the starter on my 73. Other than changing the oil, was the first time I've ever done work on a car. I jacked it up onto some 10" race ramps cribs and it went pretty smoothly. If I can do it, anyone can. Now, just have to figure out how to swap the bendix as the gear was chewed up - guessing due to bad solenoid as it is stuck in the engaged position. Trying to decide myself whether to swap the parts or go new starter.
Remove the "nose" piece after unbolting. Bendix will slide out. Put a dab of grease on the armature shaft.
Those old Delcos are heavy, but are pretty much bullet -proof. Their downfall is the solenoid black cap is subject to years of heat from the exhaust pipe.
If you purchase a new solenoid, demand a brown cap on the solenoid end. Those are more money, ceramic, and heat resistant.
Remove the "nose" piece after unbolting. Bendix will slide out. Put a dab of grease on the armature shaft.
Those old Delcos are heavy, but are pretty much bullet -proof. Their downfall is the solenoid black cap is subject to years of heat from the exhaust pipe.
If you purchase a new solenoid, demand a brown cap on the solenoid end. Those are more money, ceramic, and heat resistant.
Wrong. The starter needs to be disassembled to remove the drive. There's a captured snap ring and shift fork keeping the drive from sliding out.
The money for a questionable rebuilt starter or trying to source quality parts, you can get a new Power Master 9100 for not much more. Every car should be updated to a type PMGR starter. Those old 10MT starters do make for excellent door stops.
bad starter or solenoid
