New starter problem.

[Peer81]

Hello everybody.
Since I have my rebuild engine I put a new or rebuild starter under it because the old one got heat soaked. As it is the starter has about 450 miles on it. The problem occurs when the engine is hot and cold! What is the problem. When I want to start the engine something the starter starts working the first time but sometimes after the 4th try. What do I do? Very simple, key in contact, transmission in P, turn the key, I hear the solenoid from the starter click but nothing, the lights dim a little and the volt meter does a small step back. I put the key back in the zero position and try again, somethings just the click, sometimes the starter starts working. It doen’t matter if the engine is hot or cold. Previously I was thinking about the switch on top of the steering column but I changed that one with no luck. As I hear the solenoid click I think the problem is somewhere in or near the starter. I also checked all the wires, nothing wrong and nothing burned.
What is the difference with a heat soaked starter. Mine always starts within 1 minute, hot or cold. Anybody with some other idea’s?

Greetings Peter

 

[Peer81]

Lock-up problem

Whoops should be different topic..

 

[TimAT]

Check the ground from the right motor mount frame stand to the block. If that short cable is corroded internally or just not making good contact, everything will work but not carry enough current to turn the starter/engine.

 

[Peer81]

I think al already cleaned the block to chassis ground spots but it's easy to test. I'll connect the starter directly to the ground terminal from the battery with a starter cable. We'll see if that is the problem (and I hope so!)

Greetings Peter

 

[TimAT]

And don't forget the battery ground to the frame- the one that's UNDER the battery box.

 

[wallyknoch]

Looks like another 'blame the starter thread.....any time I see 'heat soak' its almost wrong every time because if heat was a problem then nothing would work as everything gets 'hot under the hood... I would go along with the replys that focused on the grounds as the real culpert as no one even considers there bad.....

 

[Peer81]

I checked some things yesterday.
The voltage at the batterie during starting is 11.0V, at the starter it's 10.3V so a 0.7V drop in voltage. I'm going to see if the problem is at the positive or the ground side by checking resistance.

Greetings Peter

 

[Peer81]

Well, ik got the starter back form the shop and I cleaned the ground points (I found that I forgot to get the paint off the bracket that holds the starter to the engine in de front and that is also the place where the groundstrap from the chassis bolts to the engine. So rebuild everything and it made no difference, still the same problem.
Now I'm going to "directly" wire the starter to the battery so I can see if the key circuit is the problem or the ground / power cables are the problem. Nice job for this weekend

Greetings Peter

 

[Peer81]

We didn't find the problem today but we're very close!
I connected an extra wire from the starter relais to the battery so I could test the starter / key circuit. Tried about 20 times and all the times no problem. Then did some normal key starts and after about 12 times I got 2 errors. So I have to look at the starter circuit and I think up close to the ignition switch up on the steering column.

Greetings Peter

 

[Peer81]

Last week I looked into the wiring harness diagram. Between the ignition switch and the starter there are two things. First the neutral safety switch and second the anti theft relais. First I took out the safety switch and connected the wires to each other. The starter would go around and around till the battery gave up! So yesterday I took a good look at the safety switch and I could adjust it a little better. After I adjusted the switch I could start the engine with no problems. Now I need to see if this was the last time I had problems or not, time will tell

Greetings Peter