Problem with starter

My starter is acting up.....cold or hot..... I have to "bump" it few times with the ignition key to get it to crank. The starter is only 3yrs old - a $100 Ebay high torque POS that is made somewhere southeast of Nepal.... expected to get a little more than 1500 miles out of it... :cussing:

jump the solenoid to the bat cable with a clip lead....bet it cranks every time....

kill the engine so you don't go nutz.....pop the hood and clip the starter solenoid and touch it to the bat cable.....

you got a interlock failure or worse case a ign sw failure....EDIT you know I reread you post,....you maybe have a bad battery cable connection to the frame, engine ground on frame to pass side engine mount, or maybe the batt itself or maybe the starter post...every one shiney and happy??? secure in their jobs???

:shocking::hi::flash:

There was no cable between the engine and the frame :blush::blush:

The ground cable between the battery and the frame looked fine but I cleaned it anyways.

Starter seems to be cranking fine now.....

MYBAD79 said:

There was no cable between the engine and the frame :blush::blush:

The ground cable between the battery and the frame looked fine but I cleaned it anyways.

Starter seems to be cranking fine now.....

Click to expand...

GIVEN that the engine sets on rubber mounts....it better be electrically isolated or you got solid steel mounts by accident?? or maybe on purpose??? and the tranny tail is held by a rubber/urethan mount...

there HAS to be a ground from the engine to the FRAME, OR you battery negative/ground goes to the tranny housing/engine block directly...

and that ground to the body is not enough, IF its even there....

there IS a thick battery cable big around as my little finger...

gotta be....

the typical Pass side ground is hard to see even from under the car.....need a good light and look on that engine mount...looped from rear block bolt to up /under the mount horn and a bolt there inside the horn....makes it hard to see especially if any grease buildup....

:gurney:

I guess I forgot to install the engine ground cable when I installed the stroker.... dunno... I just added the cable today but I spoke too soon: the starter is still acting up..... it will crank after a few bumps with the key.... I hate electrical stuff

MYBAD79 said:

The starter is only 3yrs old - a $100 Ebay high torque POS that is made somewhere southeast of Nepal.... expected to get a little more than 1500 miles out of it... :cussing:

Click to expand...

You just answered your own question. A good chevy starter will only last 3 years much less a pig iron unit.

MYBAD79 said:

I guess I forgot to install the engine ground cable when I installed the stroker.... dunno... I just added the cable today but I spoke too soon: the starter is still acting up..... it will crank after a few bumps with the key.... I hate electrical stuff

Click to expand...

Disconnect the dizzy, and leave the key off, and do what I said above....take a wire or even a screwdriver from the ignition sw small terminal next to the block and jump to the heavy batt cable...see that it cranks reliable for doing that...IF it click and the motor just balks with engine barely moving....you got a engine ground to the frame or the battery is weak...something like that...you need maybe have your voltmeter across the batt cable and the starter/engine ground directly when you do that jumper....that will tell the truth...

you could even have just a simple bad battery....when cranking it must not EVER go below 10.5 volts, if it does, something is not happy...this is at the starter......

but with MY reworking connections I only do that shit ONCE per car....but I"m a asshole on electricals, I know....

:hissyfit:

turtlevette said:

MYBAD79 said:

The starter is only 3yrs old - a $100 Ebay high torque POS that is made somewhere southeast of Nepal.... expected to get a little more than 1500 miles out of it... :cussing:

Click to expand...

You just answered your own question. A good chevy starter will only last 3 years much less a pig iron unit.

Click to expand...

I agree.... I should have bought this POS starter at the local "Zone" I ... at least they give you lifetime warranty.

mrvette said:

Disconnect the dizzy, and leave the key off, and do what I said above...

Click to expand...

I'll do some more "testing" this weekend.... I hope I can make it there, the '79 is currently my DD :shocking:

Install the block ground strap anyhow. It NEEDS to be there.
Throw that import POS away. A stock Delco starter lasts me 10 years average.
IF, you HAVE to have a mini starter, I'll get you the number of the only decent one they make. It comes with the 502 BBC.

Ol' Red still has the ORIGINAL starter- the one it left the factory with. It's only 40 years old. And I'll promise that it's had the crap used out of it more than a couple of times. All the grounds have star washers and it's never had an issue.

sumbitch will probably crap out next time I drive because I talked nice about it.

I have had my Tilton starter on my motor for 2 years now and so far (knock on wood) no problems yet.

Now i cannot say the same for my rear main seal,that SOB is leaking again and it is a 1 piece,meaning i have to pull the tranny to replace it :banghead:

TimAT said:

Ol' Red still has the ORIGINAL starter- the one it left the factory with. It's only 40 years old. And I'll promise that it's had the crap used out of it more than a couple of times. All the grounds have star washers and it's never had an issue.

sumbitch will probably crap out next time I drive because I talked nice about it.

Click to expand...

Yep. New Brushes every 10 years, and your good to go. (That's for a DD) You don't count. It really goes by start ups.

mrvette said:

you could even have just a simple bad battery....when cranking it must not EVER go below 10.5 volts, if it does, something is not happy...this is at the starter......

Click to expand...

Update: it drops to 8V and lower..... not every time though..... :smash:

MYBAD79 said:

mrvette said:

you could even have just a simple bad battery....when cranking it must not EVER go below 10.5 volts, if it does, something is not happy...this is at the starter......

Click to expand...

Update: it drops to 8V and lower..... not every time though..... :smash:

Click to expand...

Battery and/or cables. If you have the original copper clad starter cable, I would start there.

big2bird said:

MYBAD79 said:

mrvette said:

you could even have just a simple bad battery....when cranking it must not EVER go below 10.5 volts, if it does, something is not happy...this is at the starter......

Click to expand...

Update: it drops to 8V and lower..... not every time though..... :smash:

Click to expand...

Battery and/or cables. If you have the original copper clad starter cable, I would start there.

Click to expand...

I am talking at the battery terminals directly....not through ANY cable or cable end....I know the side post batteries necessarily have to go through the bolt/screw into the side....so I pull them first and inspect for the measurement...off the bolt tops with my alley gator clips....

that DVM dips below 10.5 during cranking...the battery is BAD or not CHARGED properly....after that go for further anal y sis....

big2bird said:

Install the block ground strap anyhow. It NEEDS to be there.
Throw that import POS away. A stock Delco starter lasts me 10 years average.
IF, you HAVE to have a mini starter, I'll get you the number of the only decent one they make. It comes with the 502 BBC.

Click to expand...

sort of like this?



this started my racer twice when I used the 168T flexplate, I had it converted for use with the smaller 153T ring gear then switched over to a reverse drive starter and haven`t used it since....Genuine GM $100.