Starter woes

[Bl1zzard]

So, hooked up the old starter. Same result, rapid clicking, no crank. The article about low voltage got me thinking. I hooked up a multi meter to the battery and sure enough, its dropping to about 5 volts when I engage the starter. Going to run a ground directly to the starter and see if that solves the problem. Figures, adding an electric fuel pump this winter would compound into this long troubleshooting mess. It's really the old school Hooker headers that slow me down, I can't do anything around the engine with those things getting in the way. I'm really close to removing them and going back to an exhaust manifold.

 

[DixieJim]

FYI, Chinese solenoids are junk! They commonly fail because of the windings. If you ever have the chance to compare them to an American manufactured from the 60s, you’ll see a startling difference in the way they are wound. Most parts stores starters fail within six months of installation but a lucky few survive. We stopped using Chinese sourced solenoids in our restoration business and went back to the original Essex manufactured pieces. They are typically 50 yrs old or older but are bullet-proof.

 

[Bl1zzard]

I hooked up a ground directly to the starter. Still no crank. That left the battery. It's only 3 years old, still under warranty, so I never suspected it. It's always charged. I tested it with my battery tester and sure enough it's bad. Even though it was showing good voltage, it has no current. Should have done that right at the start. I think someone above mentioned that, never trust the battery even if it's new.

 

[4eighteener]

Glad to found the issue!
I guess a positive is, you are now an expert on removing and installing the driver's side header
I just wanted to point out something in the mopar connection article that I thought was wrong. They showed filling a terminal with solder and putting the wire in. This is not a good way. The terminal should be crimped.
Solder has a low melting point and a starter wire can generate a lot of heat if the starter is used for a long time at a low battery voltage.
It is also prone to vibration which a car or truck sees a lot of.
Better to put electrical flux in the terminal, crimp it, and then you can solder if you feel it is necessary to fill the voids from contaminants.
Only use electrical rosen core solder not plumbing solder, which uses an acid core and can cause corrosion in the wires.

 

[volaredon]

Mopar starters don't need shimming. Neither do Ford's
That's a GM thing
Look at exactly how a GM starter mounts vs how a Ford or Mopar starter mounts. "Shimming"a Mopar starter only keeps it from engaging as deep on the ring gear. Not changing the clearance between gear teeth one bit. To shim a GM you're pushing the starter away from the side of the ring gear. To shim a Mopar you're pushing the starter away from the face of the ring gear.

 

[volaredon]

So, hooked up the old starter. Same result, rapid clicking, no crank. The article about low voltage got me thinking. I hooked up a multi meter to the battery and sure enough, its dropping to about 5 volts when I engage the starter. Going to run a ground directly to the starter and see if that solves the problem. Figures, adding an electric fuel pump this winter would compound into this long troubleshooting mess. It's really the old school Hooker headers that slow me down, I can't do anything around the engine with those things getting in the way. I'm really close to removing them and going back to an exhaust manifold.

Could be a bad battery. Shorted cell. Take it to be load tested
I don't care what brand or how new it might be. Seen it too many times at work/probably at least twice a week in warmer weather and almost daily in cold months.
I also have had "starter trouble" on dang near every Mopar I've owned, most recently my 78 fury. I slit the big cable to the starter and it was all green and corroded over more than half its length.
Make sure the ends are crimped well, and DON'T DON'T DON'T use those universal cable end lugs with the 2 bolts where you strip the end of the cable and bolt it under the strap.
The only way I'll use those ends is if I get a regular cable lug, crimp that to the cable without stripping any more of the cable than I HAVE to, crimp the snot out of it then heat shrink the lug and end of cable, just leaving the wns of the lug that the bolt goes thru, bare.

 

[Swinger 340]

Some good tips/info in post #14.

I have also read the "GOOD TIPS" and I agree with them, but one thing was not mentioned. I had a 350 chevy truck years ago and it would also fry starters. When you have a new problem, look back on what you may have done recently. In my case, I installed headers and the closeness of them to the starter overheated the starter. I installed a heat blanket around the starter and the problem was solved.