Hello, just bought a 71 Cutlass 442 clone, got it home, and would not start off the car hauler.
I boosted the battery with a battery charger and a second battery in hopes it would start..still just the solenoid would kick in.
I took out the starter and bench tested..worked perfect.
Installed the starter and only the solenoid will kick in again???????

Any ideas...neutral switch, alternator, rotational curve of the earth:-)

Thanks

 

The safety switch is in circuit before the solenoid so rule it out. The solenoid itself is suspicious. There's an internal contact that can carbon up or arc out where even though it clicks, it won't pass enough current to roll the starter over. The contact looks like a round washer. They can rotate around to a dead spot making start intermittent.

 

Thanks,
One more thing, After charging everything up, I only had about 10.5 volts on the Small wire of the solenoid during the start process, but over 12v on the main feed of the solenoid, that is why I was asking asking about resistance???

I was hoping i would not have to take that thing out of the vehicle again, but sounds like I will have too.

 

Make sure your battery ground is clean and tight where it attaches to the engine block. Turn on the headlights and turn the key to start. See if the lamps dim down when the starter sol. clicks. This can indicate a poor ground or battery terminal connection. Not sure why you're measuring a voltage drop but if it clicks, it should be passing 12-14V from the solenoid's (+) heavy wire terminal connection to the copper bar on the starter. The small wire just energizes the solenoid coil which is working - "click".

 

Like white knuckles said, it is most likely the washer inside the solenoid. If you are halfway mechanical, you can remove the starter, disassemble the solenoid, being careful not to twist/damage any connectors or studs, & turn the washer over, exposing a totally unused surface for the connectors to contact. Then reassemble it & your starter should be good for quite a long time. Or if you don't want to mess with it, go to a local parts store & pay $35.00 for a reman one.

 

I have had the experience of reduced voltage to the solenoid (presumably from years of corrosion somewhere I couldn't find), causing it to slightly, but not fully, pull in, while still drawing over 20 amps.

It was an SOB to find, because every individual part checked out fine when taken apart, but when the car was together, it wouldn't crank.

Run a heavy wire straight from the "S" terminal of the solenoid to the battery (+) terminal and see if she cranks. If so, you've narrowed the problem down quite a bit, and you know that if you can't locate it precisely, you can easily cure it with a relay.

- Eric

 

It sounds like a bad solenoid. Other possible causes would be bad or corroded battery cables, or connection, or a bad starter. If the solenoid contacts are worn, the rest of the starter is probably worn as well. If the starter positive brushes are worn it can act the same way. Check battery cables at both ends and then if you pull the starter, overhaul (rebuild) the whole thing. I assume the engine is not locked up.

 

Thanks Everyone,

The other guy who had the care before me wasn't very handy with the electrical.
Car is in great shape, but he painted the engine and the engine bay, then put everything back in.
I bet I have bad grounds everywhere, plus I will check and clean or repair the solenoid. plus replace the pos+ and neg- wires from the battery.

I will repost my results.....

Thanks again

 

Ok, I replaced both pos and neg cables. I overhauled the solenoid. checked all grounds. Then with a second battery and a charger on boost, it started. My battery was not holding a charge (weak cells), anyway off to get another battery.
Well tearing down the starter was good lesson.
I will repost if for some wild reason it is not the battery!!

 

Thanks for letting us know. That way we all continue to learn.
Scott

 

Cool, she lives! Now if batteries were still only 45 bucks!!

I just stuffed one in my driver that was $160. Ouch! Might be "glass mat" or whatever but I think it should include gold plates for that price.

 

I'm having the same problem with my 1970 cutlass it just clicks I checked the battery cables and replaced them I also checked the grounds and cleaned them, when I charge the battery it turns over it starts then when I turn it off it just clicks. If anybody has any ideas please let me know.

 

Ok, so it was the battery!!!!!!......

Replaced it and "she came alive I tell you"

 

I did the same thing I replaced the battery and she came alive but then it did the same thing it just clicks