Weird starting issue
 

Battery is relatively new and topped off.
Starter is brand new.
All grounds seem solid.

Yet often when I turn the key it's just click click on the starter. Then after swearing for a few minutes and threatening to send it to the crusher, it starts.

I thought maybe it was some kind of neutral safety or reverse lockout problem (and maybe it is), but I don't why it'd click at all if that were the case. It's like it's not getting enough current for the starter to turn, but as stated, starter is new and batter is pretty new and full. PITA.

Could be the relay/solenoid in the starter is bad. I don't recall if you would have a built in or external solenoid.

Bob

Either that or the electrical connection is dirty.

It's built-in (part of the starter assembly) and literally brand new.


I guess I should check for dirty connections though everything looks pretty clean. :huh:

Mine acted funny like this quite awhile back and I added an extra 4 gauge ground from the block to the battery and never had the problem again.

double check your battery cables. Seen quite a few instances where the terminals looked clean, but corrosion had actually happened inside the wires themselves. Give them a good once over, definitely sounds like a voltage/connection issue, id guess its your cables.

Do whats known in the car audio world as THE BIG 3. Its essentially the "Big Three" upgrade means improving the current capacity of three cables: 1) alternator positive to battery positive, 2) battery negative to chassis, and 3) engine ground to chassis. Some people replace the factory wiring; others add additional cables to the factory wiring. This instruction is to add cables to existing OEM wiring. This is supposed to solve tuns of electrical problems.

That was my next suggestion.

We need to test the voltage getting to the main starter wire and the starter signal/crank wire, when it happens. I had one in the shop that had 7 volts getting to the starter solenoid signal wire at times. We ran a new wire from the ign switch, and that fixed it. Do you have a heat shield on the starter ? Heat is a killer .

Thanks for the extra input. So ah, Paul, uh . . . when in Fullerton next. :)