Technical Chevy Starters - Click, Click, Click - Fixed

After many trouble free miles and starts, my starter has begun doing the familiar Click, Click, Click, Vroom! syndrome. Been going on a couple weeks while I resist crawling under there, it's a bear to get it past the headers. Sometimes first try, sometimes 5 attempts. I ran a jumper wire from the S solenoid terminal to the battery to bypass the ignition switch, no help. Since it makes the clicking sound I think the solenoid is activating, just not connecting the battery cable terminal to the starter motor terminal, though a large copper washer as I recall. In fact wasn't it possible to just turn that washer around, as I remember from my poor teenage days?

Sound like solenoid trouble? Maybe Ford had the better idea with remote solenoids...

 

loose or corroded connections??A guy brought over a 40 with a small block that would start then sometimes not and just click. He is not car savvy at all. I found a loose battery terminal connection-bolt was totally loose!! Tightened and all good ever since.

 

I assume it is malfunctioning both on cold start and hot start ? When you mention headers, if it is a problem with hot start only.......might need a heat shield to keep high temp exhaust from radiating to starter as GM learned with factory shield needed on big block trucks in the 60's-80's. Had a friend with a van that had a high temp problem......we would get a large drink cup with very cold water in it.....splash the starter......wait one minute......started every time. Probably a long shot.

 

Loose connections on batt or starter ends....clean and try that first. Most of the time thats it.....if not, time for a solenoid.....ive used the kits that convert to a Ford style remote solenoid for years. Several places have them

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Replace solenoid and get a heat shield.

 

Clean up all of your connections, grounds included. You may be good for another 150,000 miles.

 

Thats right....good ground is sometimes overlooked by folks, like from engine to frame

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I remember I had a transporter taking a car here from East T,N, down to Miss. He got the car loaded up and tried to start his truck{it was a chevy} It just went click, click, click. I said let me try some thing. I layed a piece of cardboard down and slid under his truck with a hammer. I started rapping on the starter and said try it while I am rapping on the starter. It fired right up. I told him to keep the hammer till he got a new starter. LOL. Bruce.

 

N i c e, but truth is, i had an old Impala that had the token hammer just for that...lol

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Sevierville huh....im down near Oak Ridge....

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Cleaning and tightening grounds with new star washers is a routine maintenance item that most ignore.

 

My bet is the solenoid contacts. The disc on the solenoid plunger rotates and most likely got bad spots. They don't last for ever and only good till they wear out. Also a good time to go over ALL connections.JW

 

Not the large washer in the solenoid, but the two copper terminals; those get worn away with the "arcing" of the contacts/washer. Just loosen them up, pull them out, and rotate them 180 degrees; good to go again.
I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

be sure to check condition of battery too

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Thanks guys. Just wire brushed the battery terminals and cables, checked for tightness at starter and ground. No help. I get a healthy spark at the positive terminal when I touch my jumper wire, and a loud click that sounds like the solenoid piston moving and pinion gear hitting the flex plate. Battery is good, turns over fast when it does connect.

Looks like I'm going under...

 

Probably needs brushes in it.

 

Mohead1 Been here in Sevierville 20 years P.M. me if you want to talk.Thanks Bruce.

 

Butch.I have done that and it WORKS!!!!! Bruce.

 

I remember when I was younger. I could remove and hold the new started in place with 1 hand. Now when I have to do one they are so heavy I have to use a floor jack to get them up there. Then slide them into place.Getting old aint for sissies.Bruce.

 

It might be a heat soak problem from the headers. I had that problem years ago with a car. Either a heat shield or a isolated Ford solenoid which can be mounted away from the heat. The Ford will bypass the Chevy solenoid, just hook up the leads and no more problems.

 

Another good thing about the Ford solenoid is the battery cable is now on top. You don't have to go underneath your car to check connection.

 

Cool, im in Ga doin some contract work at the moment. Our club is gathering at Swiftys (old Lincolns) in Oak Ridge in 2 weeks, bring ur shit and come on down

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The problem can also be at the switch. The high current draw to engage the solenoid of a hot starter an damage the switch contacts. The separate solenoid will help this problem. The old switch may be capable of supplying sufficient power to a separate solenoid.

 

One nice thing about sharing problems on here, it compels me to fix it and post my results, and thanks. So I put on my big boy pants and yanked the starter this morning. Butch nailed it, severe wear on the contacts. Cleaned the washer, flipped the contacts, good to go.

Thanks guys!

 

I made a heat shield for starter otherwise I had to wait 10 minutes to restart. Not sure if that was the actual problem but starts anytime hot or cold.

 

beebing.This is true.The older jeep wagoners were the same way.Bruce/

 

Blowby.GLAD to hear you got it fixed!.Bruce.

 

Read your post with interest....you might find some interesting reading here...www.oldengine.org...Summit sells a kit ...SUM 1750 ...keep smilin'!

 

your link doesn't work... I tried it this way and found their homepage. www.oldengine.org