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84 Starter problem ... I think?

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Old May 30, 2018 | 02:04 PM
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Default 84 Starter problem ... I think?

Went out yesterday and charged up the battery on my 84; however, when I tried starting the car all I got was a loud and constant "ticking sound" when the key was turned.

It sounded very much as if the "Starter" has jammed. As such, I have ordered a new Starter Motor BUT am not sure of the following things:

1. Exactly where the starter is on the motor (Crossfire)?
2. Can they be changed in the driveway?
3. Any special tools needed? (being a corvette thought I'd ask)

On the off chance my diagnosis is wrong, what else would/could cause the ticking sound?

Thanks in advance guys.
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Old May 30, 2018 | 02:27 PM
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The ticking in my experience is low/bad battery. The starter isn't getting enough juice.
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Old May 30, 2018 | 02:31 PM
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Thanks and the battery is brand new (from the end of last year/season) and I had the car on charge for around 3 hours which I though would have been plenty long enough for the battery to charge at least enough to start the car and drive it to charge the battery fully BUT maybe not.

I'll put it back on charge again and see what happens though.
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Old May 30, 2018 | 02:34 PM
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The starter is under the passenger side exhaust.. It can be done, I have headers that didn't make it very fun. Check the wires on the back if you can, sometimes loose wires (bad connection to the solenoid) can simply cause this as well.
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Old May 30, 2018 | 02:59 PM
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Wonderful !!! They couldn't have put it some where easy to get to could they ...

I will check the wiring as well. It could be a bit of corrosion at the connection. I have the car back on charge so will see what happens after a further 4 hours (or so) of charging. If the problem is still there then I'll have to buy a "low profile jack" to lift it to be able to do anything, check and or replace.
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Old May 30, 2018 | 04:06 PM
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Originally Posted by steve6
The ticking in my experience is low/bad battery. The starter isn't getting enough juice.


What does your dashboard volt meter read while you're cranking the engine? What is the current output rating of your battery charger?

Yes, Corvette's are low. Drive up on some 2x6 planks to give you some more room to get a jack under the car. Jack the car carefully, so you don't damage any fiberglass! Be sure to WORK SAFE when you're under the car! Support the car with good quality jack stands . . . not with a jack that may collapse!

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Old May 30, 2018 | 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted by wombat457
Wonderful !!! They couldn't have put it some where easy to get to could they ...

I will check the wiring as well. It could be a bit of corrosion at the connection. I have the car back on charge so will see what happens after a further 4 hours (or so) of charging. If the problem is still there then I'll have to buy a "low profile jack" to lift it to be able to do anything, check and or replace.
i would suggest an inexpensive volt meter to check battery voltage , or display on dash may help, if battery is fully charged you should see 12 volts
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Old May 30, 2018 | 05:48 PM
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Originally Posted by wombat457
Went out yesterday and charged up the battery on my 84; however, when I tried starting the car all I got was a loud and constant "ticking sound" when the key was turned.

It sounded very much as if the "Starter" has jammed. As such, I have ordered a new Starter Motor BUT am not sure of the following things:

1. Exactly where the starter is on the motor (Crossfire)?
2. Can they be changed in the driveway?
3. Any special tools needed? (being a corvette thought I'd ask)

On the off chance my diagnosis is wrong, what else would/could cause the ticking sound?

Thanks in advance guys.
You should have done some trouble shooting before spending money on a new starter. There is a good chance your battery isn't as charged as you think or a bad connection somewhere
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Old May 30, 2018 | 08:59 PM
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There is a good chance your battery isn't as charged as you think
That was it - just hadn't gotten enough charge. Put it back on this afternoon and it (finally) got a full charge at 7:30 pm.

I don't think I am wasting the money on the new starter though. When I went in search of one the majority were rebuilt/re-manufactured/refurbished. Once I found a new one I grabbed it while I could and it wasn't all that expensive anyway.

Now the car is running, time to get the transmission leak fixed which, from the looks, is just a new tranny pan seal. Get it serviced and tuned and she should be good to go

Anyway, thanks for the input guys and I guess the battery does take longer than 3 or 4 hours to get a decent charge. At the end of this year, I'll be disconnecting it so as to save some time and frustration for next year.
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Old May 31, 2018 | 02:09 AM
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Originally Posted by wombat457
I don't think I am wasting the money on the new starter though. When I went in search of one the majority were rebuilt/re-manufactured/refurbished. Once I found a new one I grabbed it while I could and it wasn't all that expensive anyway.
Having a new starter on hand will guarantee that you'll never need to replace your starter!

It's puzzling. Several of us asked you questions, but not one of those questions were answered. Oh well. Glad you got it running.

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Old May 31, 2018 | 07:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Hot Rod Roy
Having a new starter on hand will guarantee that you'll never need to replace your starter!

It's puzzling. Several of us asked you questions, but not one of those questions were answered. Oh well. Glad you got it running.

Yeah. How many of us just happen to have a brand new starter sitting and collecting dust just in case?
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