Was in a cruise in my city with other classics and with lots of stop and go, I finish my rounds and stop at the taco truck for a bite. Once I’m back in the car turn key and starter whirrs out but immediately loses connection after a half crank. Luckily I keep a power pack with cables, so I jumpstart the vehicle and take it home. Checked the connection to the solenoid and battery and relay and all are in intact. Jumpstarts absolutely no issue. Is this a sign of a bad solenoid. Thanks

 

Did you check the battery or its connections ?

 

yes I believe I said that the battery relay and solenoid connections are intact and working. Could the solenoid be the issue?

 

Did you check the battery to see if it had a full charge and had no dead cells ? Are the cables that connect to the battery tight and clean ?

 

i checked the battery and it was steady 13V Before turning. I had replaced battery only a month ago however. Replaced battery terminal connectors as well for solid connection. I have tight connections as well as a little bit of dielectric jelly on the terminal. Voltage is present through the cables to the battery and doesn’t drop below 12.5

 

When you jump start and it starts, you are adding more "juice". Are you putting jumper clamps on the cable ends at the battery ?
Where is the dielectric jelly ? The contact points between the battery posts/side terminals should be clean of grease, oil, corrosion, etc.
Try charging the battery.

 

Dielectric jelly was on the terminal ends. From PO. i replaced positive terminal and there is still Jelly on the neg terminal. Jumpstarts with my battery pack and uses 1% to fire up. I sat and let it run with no issues for 10 minutes to route power to the battery from alternator. I just turned the key right now without the jumpstart back on and it fired right up.

 

i did not remove the jelly or anything but let it run and now it fires up and cranks over. I don’t see where the issue is I’m assuming it’s the solenoid, I’ve bought a 30 dollar one from AutoZone to replace if necessary. But it fired right away. Is there some possible heat sink issue that could potentially not allow the starter to crank over. Battery readings aren’t changing so I’m not sure what the issue may be.

 

rechecked battery voltage before starting. 12.56 V
while running 12.45

 

Doesn’t seem like the alternator is putting anything out. Should be close to or above 14 while running.

 

X2 ^ There is a problem with the charging system.

Good luck!!!

 

X3. Alternator should be pushing 14+

 

x4. Alt should generally put out ~14.3V

 

Charge your battery and get the charging system checked out.

 

replacing cables found this.

 

???

 

Is this normal starter is working???

 

 

Uh no...that is not normal. You need to replace that cable.

 

 

Your low charging voltage is a different issue than your corroded battery cable.

 

charged the battery. Removed the starter. Bench tested starter under no load. Solenoid throws the pinion gear and makes it spin. Replaced the positive terminal to starter. Reinstalled starter and reconnected and nothing works. Thinking about throwing this other starter in it.

 

So what voltage is the alternator pushing out?

 

Before going much further what year and what model is this car?

 

States 70 Cutlass in the title. Not sure from there.

 

Thanks, sorry just double checking.

 

As Kenneth pointed out and others know I’m sure the ALT charging is an issue in and of itself; although not charging the battery definitely is a charging ALT issue, it’s possible there might exist some relationship perhaps?

 

I wonder, and I’m only curious not stating this is correct so asking others opinions. If the car fires up every time with a jump start but not on its own, the OP is using a battery jump pack is that correct? Not a jump from another car is that correct?

 

12.45V I believe was stated.

 

Funny I wondered the same thing. I wondered if that cable has been grounding out and damaged both the starter and the alternator. It's odd to me that it would still jump start ok. 🤔

 

Agree. What’s different between the power pack and the car battery? The power pack jumps at the car battery terminals and in both cases uses the vehicle ground (-) not the power pack ground since there is none correct? The ground side is wholly dependent on the car.

 

“If” this logic is correct, I think the issue resides on the positive (+) cabling. Does that make sense or not? I mean a power pack has no ground of itself right and has to use the vehicle ground to jump start doesn’t it? Just asking?

 

I am with you. That cable was wasted. Hard to understand how a "jump" could suddenly cure that problem. I was around automotive electricals for years and years. Never seen this situation.

 

When you say :nothing works", what exactly do you mean? No power to anything, or it's just not turning over?

 

replaced battery cable on positive end and reinstalled after charging battery. Went to fire up and solenoid is clicking and making contacts but the starter is not throwing out under a load. I’ve jumpstarted the vehicle on the existing setup but after replacing cable and reinstalling the issue persists with solenoid clicking and not turning the crank. Seems like solenoid is spinning the pinion but there’s not enough power in the motor. Is my motor just shot on the starter?

 

If the battery has 13V+ as stated the battery is fully charged. If a bench test demonstrates the starter works it doesn’t sound like the starter or solenoid is the issue. If it jump starts fine but won’t start on its own battery, there the chance the battery is shot OR it’s the cabling. It is possible to read 13V on a battery and not deliver amperage. You need ~250-300 cranking amps delivered to the starter - along with 12+V. Hmmm…

 

battery has 650-700 cca. Just replaced positive cabling to starter. Checked ground wire voltage as well at engine block reading 12.5 V. Battery is a month old. Costco brand with warranty. Alternator possibly in my future but cold battery still at 12.45 V after several failed starting attempts. ******* dropped the starter on my nuts hella hard too.

 

When you jump start with power pack you hook up power pack negative to the car battery negative terminal or to the car chassis or another point on the car?

 

negative terminal

 

What matters is how many amps you’re delivering not what’s stated on the battery.