340 Starter issue

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Skezix

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Hi everyone, recently picked up a 70 Duster worth restoration.. Was told the engine was rebuilt shortly before it was abandoned due to owner passing away. It has not sat very long so I figured before I tear her down I would see if I can get her started.

All ready to fire her up and when I turn her over I get a nasty clicking sound and the engine turning over very slowly.. I figured possibly the starter sat to long maybe she is not kicking out like she should.. I picked up a new one and dropped her in.. First crank sounded fine, nice and smooth.. (would not fire because I had not put the coil wire back on....) anyhow coil wire now in place.. Upon starting I got that nasty clicking sound and it turning over very slowly.. Went over all my wiring, cleaned all grounds/+'s still clicking..

Pulled the starter, it appears I am catching a bit over half way tooth wise, ring gear looks excellent.. Put starter back in.. she turned over like a dream.. next attempted clicking back.. Loosened/tightened bolts on starter she will crank just fine (1) time.. then the slow crank click (loud click i should state) occur..

I have searched and read for last week and have yet to find the answer.. I would blame the starter if it was not happening with both.. the loose/tight then works fine once has me boggled.. Anyhow sorry for the novel, Thank you in advance.

Skez
 
Trans ?
If automatic, i would think convertor isnt inserted into transmission properly.
Cables bad corroded.
Pull plugs and see how it rolls over with a ratchet on crank.
 
Replace the starter relay, cheap and accessable.

I would do as described above and crank with out plugs in.

Have you changed or tested the battery?
 
Tooljunkie said:
Trans ?
If automatic, i would think convertor isnt inserted into transmission properly.
Cables bad corroded.
Pull plugs and see how it rolls over with a ratchet on crank.
Click to expand...
Its an auto, was running/driving just fine before it was parked. Cables all good/clean.. Rolls over like a dream..
 
Dana67Dart said:
Replace the starter relay, cheap and accessable.

I would do as described above and crank with out plugs in.

Have you changed or tested the battery?
Click to expand...
Ya, I will grab a relay I bypassed it but I will need it on the restore anyhow. batt is new..
 
Dana67Dart said:
Is that from your first hand knowledge or what you were told?
Click to expand...
First hand, I helped drain the fluids and get her ready to sit. I had no knowledge of the rebuild just was told.. It was going to be restored by a guy down the street.. he asked for help to get her stored correctly till he could get to her.. not long after he passed suddenly.
 
Cranking voltage? 10 or better means battery is good.
 
Dana67Dart said:
How did you bypass it?
Click to expand...
Jumper down below and arced up top.

It has to be elec issue in my mind.. yet the whole.. unbolt her and bolt her back up for one good start is boggling me.. that would not affect the wiring etc.. not enough play in the starter for it to move that far out of position..
 
Skezix said:
Hi everyone, recently picked up a 70 Duster worth restoration.. Was told the engine was rebuilt shortly before it was abandoned due to owner passing away. It has not sat very long so I figured before I tear her down I would see if I can get her started.

All ready to fire her up and when I turn her over I get a nasty clicking sound and the engine turning over very slowly.. I figured possibly the starter sat to long maybe she is not kicking out like she should.. I picked up a new one and dropped her in.. First crank sounded fine, nice and smooth.. (would not fire because I had not put the coil wire back on....) anyhow coil wire now in place.. Upon starting I got that nasty clicking sound and it turning over very slowly.. Went over all my wiring, cleaned all grounds/+'s still clicking..

Do some actual troubleshooting. You need a few things to work on these girls. Some alligator jumper leads, a multimeter, and a 12V test lamp

"Rig" the 12V lamp direct to the large stud on the starter. Jumper the starter relay by using a screwdriver/ other metal object across the large stud and large square terminal screw. It should crank, be careful to put trans in neutral/ park. Does it crank OK? What does the meter read while cranking?

You path is battery POS---through the cable clamp----through the cable---to the end eyelet terminal---to the starter---through the starter----to the engine block----to the ground cable eyelet--------through the ground cable--------to the ground cable battery clamp------and to the battery

EACH OF THE separated points above is a possible FAILURE point. The cable, eg, can be rotten inside where it connects to one or both of the clamps. One or both of the clamps might not be making good connection with the battery posts, and so on.

You have to run this down, or be willing to BUY a LOT of expensive parts

Now if that cranks OK, go back to the starter relay. Clip your meter to ground and to the "big square screw" on the relay. Twist the key while watching the meter. Anything? You hear a click?

Pulled the starter, it appears I am catching a bit over half way tooth wise, ring gear looks excellent.. Put starter back in.. she turned over like a dream.. next attempted clicking back.. Loosened/tightened bolts on starter she will crank just fine (1) time.. then the slow crank click (loud click i should state) occur..

I have searched and read for last week and have yet to find the answer.. I would blame the starter if it was not happening with both.. the loose/tight then works fine once has me boggled.. Anyhow sorry for the novel, Thank you in advance.

Skez
Click to expand...
 
Skezix said:
Jumper down below and arced up top.

It has to be elec issue in my mind.. yet the whole.. unbolt her and bolt her back up for one good start is boggling me.. that would not affect the wiring etc.. not enough play in the starter for it to move that far out of position..
Click to expand...
I had the same issue but not on a Mopar, it was a rambler. After installing the starter it would work once or twice and then would not engage the flywheel, I thought I had a bad drive on the starter. Installed new starter and same thing. It used a motor craft starter. It used special starter bolts with a shoulder that kept the starter centered. I didn't have any nor could I find any so I used stainless steel compression fitting the cone shape kind and placed them on the bolts and then installed and has worked like a dream since.
 
HOW THESE WORK

Starter relays are easy. 4 terminals. The "big stud" is a battery junction point and also one of the contacts, and is always hot.

The mating contact is the 'square screw" and only goes one place---down to the starter solenoid

The relay electromagnet (coil) are the two "push on" flag terminals

The path for the relay coil is ignition switch--start contact--through the bulkhead (usually yellow) to one of the coil "flag" terminals---through the coil---out on the neutral safety wire at the remaining "flag" terminal-----and down to the neutral switch on the transmission---which grounds in park or neutral.

The key powers the coil when the trans is in park/ neutral. The coil pulls in the contacts and connects power to the starter solendoid, causing the starter to crank.
 
Don K said:
I had the same issue but not on a Mopar, it was a rambler. After installing the starter it would work once or twice and then would not engage the flywheel, I thought I had a bad drive on the starter. Installed new starter and same thing. It used a motor craft starter. It used special starter bolts with a shoulder that kept the starter centered. I didn't have any nor could I find any so I used stainless steel compression fitting the cone shape kind and placed them on the bolts and then installed and has worked like a dream since.
Click to expand...
Don K said:
I had the same issue but not on a Mopar, it was a rambler. After installing the starter it would work once or twice and then would not engage the flywheel, I thought I had a bad drive on the starter. Installed new starter and same thing. It used a motor craft starter. It used special starter bolts with a shoulder that kept the starter centered. I didn't have any nor could I find any so I used stainless steel compression fitting the cone shape kind and placed them on the bolts and then installed and has worked like a dream since.
Click to expand...
I will give that a shot.. could be possible that it is kicking just far enough out of alignment.. I would put money on the bolts not being correct, there is some slop as the bolts have no shoulders.. The starter fits snug in place and seems like it would hold position but might be bumping out just enough to be causing me problems.
 
67Dart273 said:
HOW THESE WORK

Starter relays are easy. 4 terminals. The "big stud" is a battery junction point and also one of the contacts, and is always hot.

The mating contact is the 'square screw" and only goes one place---down to the starter solenoid

The relay electromagnet (coil) are the two "push on" flag terminals

The path for the relay coil is ignition switch--start contact--through the bulkhead (usually yellow) to one of the coil "flag" terminals---through the coil---out on the neutral safety wire at the remaining "flag" terminal-----and down to the neutral switch on the transmission---which grounds in park or neutral.

The key powers the coil when the trans is in park/ neutral. The coil pulls in the contacts and connects power to the starter solendoid, causing the starter to crank.
Click to expand...
Yes I am very familiar with how starter relays work. Thanks
 
had a mouse go up the tail pipe on a new motor and left small acorn's inside one cylinder and locked it up ,he didn't survive
 
Not sure PETA (People or the Eating of Tasty Animals) would apply for mouse. I have never had any but I don't expect it would be tasty.
 
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