Starter help!!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 25
Likes: 2
Is there a way to test each of these issues special tools or testers I have access to all manner of tools at work and what the company doesn't have I'm willing to buy I would love to keep the numbers matching block or would it be simpler to pull it redo everything else and drop a new block?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,923
Likes: 4,495
From: Virginia
That should help the diagnosis.
How new is the battery? A battery that has been deep discharged and lost its ampacity will still take a charge but may act just like this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,809
From: Cool Northern Michigan
You have a wire dangling near the solenoid. You don't know where it goes and you don't know where it comes from.
You swapped out the ALT. I still think the ALT may show its charging . . . . . something . . . . . . . but its not charging the battery.
This goes back to that dangling wire. Maybe that is the charging wire from the ALT.
You have a coil hooked up backwards. Your wiring harness near the starter is corroded and near death.
I still think the starter is ok. They can take a lot of heat. The solenoid however, gets fried from the exhaust and can give you issues such as yours, hard start.
It appears your solenoid cap is brown. That usually indicates its a heavy duty ceramic unit. Better at handling heat. But how old is it? More specifically, condition of the contacts inside. You can buy and swap out just the solenoid for $25 or less. The starter will need to be removed obviously but can be reused.
But throwing parts at it may or may not fix the problem. Those wires need attention first. Grease & oil don't hurt wiring. But dried-out, rotten, corroded insulation on wiring, will not cut it. Corroded wiring is like an iceberg. You are only seeing the tip of what lies below the (insulation) surface.
You swapped out the ALT. I still think the ALT may show its charging . . . . . something . . . . . . . but its not charging the battery.
This goes back to that dangling wire. Maybe that is the charging wire from the ALT.
You have a coil hooked up backwards. Your wiring harness near the starter is corroded and near death.
I still think the starter is ok. They can take a lot of heat. The solenoid however, gets fried from the exhaust and can give you issues such as yours, hard start.
It appears your solenoid cap is brown. That usually indicates its a heavy duty ceramic unit. Better at handling heat. But how old is it? More specifically, condition of the contacts inside. You can buy and swap out just the solenoid for $25 or less. The starter will need to be removed obviously but can be reused.
But throwing parts at it may or may not fix the problem. Those wires need attention first. Grease & oil don't hurt wiring. But dried-out, rotten, corroded insulation on wiring, will not cut it. Corroded wiring is like an iceberg. You are only seeing the tip of what lies below the (insulation) surface.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,923
Likes: 4,495
From: Virginia
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,341
Likes: 1,171
From: CLEVELAND STUCK IN OHIO
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
You have a wire dangling near the solenoid. You don't know where it goes and you don't know where it comes from.
You swapped out the ALT. I still think the ALT may show its charging . . . . . something . . . . . . . but its not charging the battery.
This goes back to that dangling wire. Maybe that is the charging wire from the ALT.
You have a coil hooked up backwards. Your wiring harness near the starter is corroded and near death.
I still think the starter is ok.
But throwing parts at it may or may not fix the problem. Those wires need attention first. Grease & oil don't hurt wiring. But dried-out, rotten, corroded insulation on wiring, will not cut it. Corroded wiring is like an iceberg. You are only seeing the tip of what lies below the (insulation) surface.
You swapped out the ALT. I still think the ALT may show its charging . . . . . something . . . . . . . but its not charging the battery.
This goes back to that dangling wire. Maybe that is the charging wire from the ALT.
You have a coil hooked up backwards. Your wiring harness near the starter is corroded and near death.
I still think the starter is ok.
But throwing parts at it may or may not fix the problem. Those wires need attention first. Grease & oil don't hurt wiring. But dried-out, rotten, corroded insulation on wiring, will not cut it. Corroded wiring is like an iceberg. You are only seeing the tip of what lies below the (insulation) surface.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 25
Likes: 2
The car wants to overheat when idling for more than 20 minutes I've replaced the thermostat and the water pump and I've tested the head gaskets they're fine so I'm swapping the radiator and when ever I press the brake I hear a slight hiss and the car bogs down so I'm pretty sure it's the brake booster
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,419
Likes: 1,555
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Good to hear that you're making progress.
Thanks for the update.
Did anyone tell you that if you own a Corvette long enough, eventually you'll be changing stuff a second time.
Thanks for the update.
Did anyone tell you that if you own a Corvette long enough, eventually you'll be changing stuff a second time.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,809
From: Cool Northern Michigan
The car wants to overheat when idling for more than 20 minutes I've replaced the thermostat and the water pump and I've tested the head gaskets they're fine so I'm swapping the radiator and when ever I press the brake I hear a slight hiss and the car bogs down so I'm pretty sure it's the brake booster
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
if you overheat while idling it is usually an air flow issue with the fan, shroud, and seals directing air through the radiator. post a pic of your rad and fan setup. generally a bad radiator is leaking all over the ground...