Please help me get her started

[t-west]

Hi all,

Now that I've had more time, I'm trying to finish my project. I haven't started her since about November, and after charging the battery, I get nothing but a click, as if the starter is pusing into the torque converter, but no spin.

So far I have:

• taken the starter down to Kragen and it tests fine.

• replaced the starter ground to the firewall with a new one (old was crusty and sheath was broken in several places.)

• swaped out the solenoid for a new one.

• checked the coil, getting slightly less than 12V (new Flamethrower coil w/ DSII system)

• double checked the neutral safety switch setting (one of the bolts was a bit loose.)

• hand-turned to crank to make sure it wasn't seized up.

• getting same reading from coil to module

What am I missing? Please send me any tips you can think of. I have an old ignition switch that I replaced about 1 year ago (back then it was the neutral safety switch, but I thought it's never a bad idea to have a new ignition switch).

By the way, all the lights have been removed to get ready for paint, not sure if that matters.

best,
--tom

 

[Stubby]

Check the voltage on the battery, before and right after trying to crank in. If it shows reduced voltage, the battery may not be fully charged.

The starter could still be bad.

When you say it clicks. If it is the sol or the starter that you hear, that should rule out the switch or safety switch. The coil shouldn't affect the starter.

As far as the connections go, try it for a couple of seconds and carefuly check the cables and connections for them being warm or hot. A bad connection wil usualy get hot.

I would probably put some jumper cables on it and see if the extra amps will make it spin. Or make that hot spot show up.

 

[GrantD]

I would check the battery as well, thats what happened to me about a month ago I just heard a lot of fast clicking instead of the starter turning. turned out there wasn't enough in the battery to keep the solenoid engaged so it just clicked a lot. charging the batter with a charger didn't make much difference.
hope some of that helps.

Grant

 

[Bort62]

Either your solenoid is bad, or you aren't getting enough juice to the battery. Causes could be numerous, but a bad battery is a good candidate. Try jumping the car.

Or push start it

 

[Anonymous]

a dead battery wont accept a charge or even a jump, try a differnt battery if you can.

 

[t-west]

Thanks for the tip. The battery was too dead to jump, but with a day or so on the charger, fired right up after sitting for six months or so. Now I can drive it to the paint booth!

--tom

 

[Anonymous]

thats great, but i would sugest getting another battery.. the cells in yours might be dead and wont accept any more charges in the furtre and will leave you stranded somewhere

 

[MercuryMarc]

I had 2 years of similar intermittiant "clicking" and it turned out to be a bad contact between the positive cable and the positive battery teminal. I replaced many components, saving the least expensive component for last... .

I highly recommend the Haynes Techbook Automotuve Electrical Manual which I got used on ebay for $4.

The way I finally figured it out was the "voltage drop" procedure and it took about 3 minutes. I really wish I had started wih this instead of ending with it....

 

[t-west]

Thanks for the book tip. I'm finding more and more (and larger) gaps in my technical knowledge, and as I pick up more and more reading things fill in.

Now back to block sanding.

 

[Stubby]

Don't sand the blocks! Sand the car. You do have alot to learn.

 

[woodbutcher]

Now Stubby,behave yourself.Hehehehehe.
Leo