Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

[Paul S.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

I replaced the battery--the outgoing battery was a group 24 with 630 cca battery and they said under a 325 amp load the output dropped from 12.9 volts to 6.8 volts which is about what my volt ohm meter read when checking the purple wire on the starter while cranking. The new battery is an Interstate with 700 cca. With the new battery installed the starter turns over but the car won't start--it's like there's no spark. And that plus not starting or even clicking when hot got me looking at the solenoid, etc...

It just cranks, cranks, cranks and doesn't start and I quit cranking. So the battery solved the car won't turn over issue but I still have something that's not right.

Frustrating--the car just started Saturday morning with barely a turn of the key.

Suggestions?

[Gene M.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

Paul,
Hot wire the coil if it starts you found the problem. Simple process of elimination.

[Paul S.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

Paul,
Hot wire the coil if it starts you found the problem. Simple process of elimination.

Ok, stupid question--I don't know how to hot wire the coil--do you mean running a wire directly from the battery positive terminal to the + terminal of the coil?

Thanks.

[Edward J.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

Peter, the car only needs two thing to run, spark and fuel, since the car is cranking now, your missing one or both, Both should be easy to check, look for a shot of fuel when moving the accelerator, and pull the wire at coil and put a screwdriver into wire end and hold the driver plastic handle away about a 1/8 inch away from something metal and bump the starter over in quick bursts to see if you see spark jump to ground if so, now check it at the plug wire.

[Larry M.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

Paul:

Now that the engine will turn over, you need to measure the voltage at the coil + terminal during cranking. It should be 12 volts.......... the voltage coming from the pink wire attached to the "R" terminal of the solenoid.

When the ignition key moves backs from START to ON position, the voltage to the coil + terminal comes thru the ignition switch and ballast resistor. It will then be slightly reduced voltage (between about 8-12 volts and varying)

Is it possible that there is a break in the pink wire from the solenoid to the coil?? Check it out.

If the coil + terminal is getting voltage during cranking and when the ignition switch is in the ON position, then check the distributor dwell and/or have a helper hold one of the ignition wires off the plug and about 1/2 inch from the exhaust manifold during cranking to see if you have a spark to the plugs. Have helper wear heavy leather gloves.

Larry

[Larry M.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

Yes.

Larry

[Paul S.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

Paul:

Now that the engine will turn over, you need to measure the voltage at the coil + terminal during cranking. It should be 12 volts.......... the voltage coming from the pink wire attached to the "R" terminal of the solenoid.

When the ignition key moves backs from START to ON position, the voltage to the coil + terminal comes thru the ignition switch and ballast resistor. It will then be slightly reduced voltage (between about 8-12 volts and varying)

Is it possible that there is a break in the pink wire from the solenoid to the coil?? Check it out.

If the coil + terminal is getting voltage during cranking and when the ignition switch is in the ON position, then check the distributor dwell and/or have a helper hold one of the ignition wires off the plug and about 1/2 inch from the exhaust manifold during cranking to see if you have a spark to the plugs. Have helper wear heavy leather gloves.

Larry

I will check the dwell momentarily--the car started, when my helper hit the key and I had the volt ohm meter red lead touching the + terminal of the coil and the black lead of the ohm meter grounded to the exhaust manifold . During cranking (which is very brief) it's showing 13 volts at the coil + terminal (matches the battery voltage output) and when running, if I ground the volt ohm meter to the exhaust manifold, I see 9.4 volts but if I ground the volt ohm meter to the negative pole of the coil, only 5.4 volts.

[Paul S.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

Dwell is 31 degrees steady car fully warmed up.

When I pulled my multi-function gear I re-discovered it includes a remote starter, with two leads. Sure would have come in handy earlier. In any case, now what? The car's back to starting on command, know it's not fixed.

[Larry M.]

Re: Starter Solenoid Replacement Nightmare

Paul:

I think we have taken you through just about all the tips and tricks needed to troubleshoot your problem. Hopefully it will not recur, but if it does, you need to go back to these basic troubleshooting techniques and find the root cause.

My best guess is that you still have a wiring issue that is intermittent. You also need to redo the wiring to install the original fusible links that are missing. Doing this correctly may also fix your problem.

Larry