Starter Woes...

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MB43

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I got all of the required fluids into the motor (finally), took the battery off the charger, connected everything up and hit the start button.

click-click-click-click-click-click-click

No cranking of the motor, just a lot of clicking from the starter. I cranked the motor over by hand to make sure nothing was stuck, it turned freely.

When I pulled the starter out last week I found that the nose had broken off, but the gears looked ok. You can see it here:

starter1.jpg


Now, what's the deal with the clicking? Is this starter wasted?

While it's clicking the volt meter flails around. After I let go of the start button, the meter goes back to 12 volts.
 
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing... If it's clicking, does that mean the starter is still good, though?

I'm gonna pop it out of the tranny and check all of the connections on it. If it's clicking, I'm sure that the relay is working, the relay on the fuse block is ok, and the wiring from the starter relay down to the starter itself is ok. Maybe the connectors are cruddy or something, I don't know.
 
Is there an easy way to check out the solenoid?
 
just a thought. After my rebuild my Charger did the same thing. There ended up being a wire that came out of my harness block that got bumped by my motor. I plugged it in and it started right up.

Don't know why the starter clicked. But thats what it did for me. Hope that helps
 
Khyron said:
just a thought. After my rebuild my Charger did the same thing. There ended up being a wire that came out of my harness block that got bumped by my motor. I plugged it in and it started right up.

Don't know why the starter clicked. But thats what it did for me. Hope that helps
Click to expand...

I don't have a harness block... All I have is Painless relay/fuse box, which goes right to the relay under the hood, and from there down to the starter.

But I'll check out all the wiring anyway.
 
mikelbeck said:
Is there an easy way to check out the solenoid?
Click to expand...

Yes by pass it. With the key on use a screw driver and lay it across the 2 solenoid studs. It will crank if its the solenoid.
 
If that don't do it load test the battery. It's possible it's just a bad battery. Also on the starter being wasted. It's quite possible since the nose is broken. Alot of them have the support bearing in the end of the nose. If it has the support bearing there and it's broke off it may work for a short while but it won't last long.
 
If you are still trying to use the starter with the nose broken off the armature will not be supported and can move enough to jam against the field windings. It may spin freely when it's not in the car but one the gear engages and it torques agains the ring gear it will move.
 
Wow, these things are more expensive than I thought.

AutoZone - $109 ($55 core charge)
Mancini - $129
Summit - $139
Jegs - $139

I found some on eBay for between $50 and $80, I think that's where I'm going.
 
If you are looking for the cheap way out why not go to the bone yard and get a starter from any v6 or v8 Dodge pickup. If you pull one from a mid 80's or newer it will be the mini starter style.
 
!@&#@!(*

I wiring is fine, the starter is junk. And of course, to get it out I've got to drain the radiator (again) and unbolt the headers (again).

Some days I really hate this car!
 
you'll do better with a boneyard factory peice, then the $80 Ebag ones. Or, buy th realdeal once. The 2 I have are 5+ years old, left outside, starts in dead of winter..greater reutrn on investment when you have to drain the coolant, move the header..
 
moper said:
you'll do better with a boneyard factory peice, then the $80 Ebag ones. Or, buy th realdeal once. The 2 I have are 5+ years old, left outside, starts in dead of winter..greater reutrn on investment when you have to drain the coolant, move the header..
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm thinking about going with the AutoZone one - it's got a lifetime warranty.
 
The Autozone starters may have a lifetime warranty but I sure haven't had the greatest luck with them. Neither has a buddy of mine. Sure they will warranty it again and again but you still have to do the work changing it. :evil:
 
Got my new starter today... I'm really not in the mood to go sliding under the car again tonight, so it's gonna wait until the weekend.
 
Mikel, the nose broke off of my starter also. So did the lower mounting ear. Snapped clear off it. It turnned out that the bolt I swa using in the top of the starter had to long of a shoulder on it so it was bottomed out and not actually tight.

I changed the bolt the bolt and put the starter back in, Bolted up the broken mounting bolt ear to keep the starter straight and its been fine since. I'll change it this winter.
 
My bolts are the right length, I'm still not sure why it cracked like that.

But since I put it in and tightened it all up, it hasn't given me any problems.
 
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