This may be a pretty simple question, but I'll be the first to admit that while I'm mechanicly inclined, my experience working on cars is just begining. For the past few weeks the starter in my 55 Buick (264/Dynaflow) would often take several tries to get it to crank. I would hit the g*** pedal to start the car, I'd hear the solenoid click, but no cranking. Sometimes it took 4-5 tries vefore it started to crank. Sometimes it worked the first time. The battery is fully charged, so I dont think its a power issue. Should I take out the starter, and just test it on a battery to verify that its dead? I would ***ume that sisnce I hear the solenoid clicking, that powere is getting to the started ok, is that correct? Any help is really apreciated. Thanks, Chad
check all your wiring ,battery,solenoid,ground wire,if all checks good throw a volt meter on the battery as a friend starts it up to see where it goes as it cranks,is the starter housing feel warm after all them tries??? if so starter needs to be rebuilt
Exactly what he said. Check all the cables first for tightness, corrosion, etc. My buddies '59 Invicta fried his cables from the exhaust and left us stranded til we found some wire to jump it from the solenoid with. If you can byp*** the solenoid with a wire then just the solenoid might be bad. If the starter is hot before you get it to actually fire over, then you might have brushes that are worn out and a unit due for a rebuild. If its fried PM me and I can hook you up with a rebuild on it and get you going quick.
Tomorrow I will see what I can find out. If I remove the starter and just use a battery to connect to the solenoid terminals, is that a reasonable test? I would think that would quickly tell me if its a bad starter, or to inspect the wiring further (unless I see something obvious), or could that damage the starter? Just to clarify, I hear it click once per attempt, not continuousely. Well, I guess Ill be learning slowly about all this, it cant be that hard...
Just to be on the safe side, also take the switch on the carbitator apart. DO NOT LOOSE any of the little pieces. Clean all those little pieces to be sure you are getting good contact. On an old engine, oil and dirt can do fully things, so as said before also look at all wiring contacts, and especially the starter solenoid. EBay has rebuild kits for these regularly, or just simply put a new one in. And don't abuse that Dynaflow!!
Hi, I have had the switch apart in the past from when I had to add a .010" shim to get the starter pedal to enage the ignition at the right point after I had a newly rebuilt carb, so I will be sure to check that as well. As for the Dynaflow, it has issues too. It doesnt leak after the rear seal to the torque was replaced, but it doesnt seem to shift back down to low when you slow down. Aceleration from a stop is very slow, unless I manualy shift it down to low, and then return to drive at about 20-25 mph, as the cars original manual actualy reccomends for better performance. I know these are known to be sluggish, but could it be that bad? Im getting by fine just shifting to low from a stop. The engine has been running great since it was rebuilt 4 months ago, hopefuly Ill know more about the starter situation tomorrow.
I'd check the switch first. Almost sounds like it very well could be that too. Run a byp*** wire and see if the click problem goes away. My buddy had to wire in a push ****on start on his Invicta because the switch for the pedal went bad. Do you have good charge on the battery? Might want to throw a multi-meter on that and check that too. A draining batter will have enough juice to get the solenoid to trip, hence the click, but sometimes not enough to fire the starter on the first try. If you pull the starter out, put it in a vise on your bench, or strap the ****er down. Grab some jumper cables and connect the negative to the case and touch the positive to where the wire to solenoid connects on the copper post. It should spin up in a hell of a hurry and spin hard. If it's sluggish or sounds like a coffee grinder, might want to look into it further. Be careful doing this test, starters will eat fingers. When we bench test some of the big semi starters here its scary thinking they put out more horsepower than my flathead does...
Ok, well first I tested the switch on the carb with a test lead, and with that, when I immediately turn on key to "ON", it did the single click, without hitting the gas, and that was it. So I took out the starter. Leadsled51, I did exactly as you said, connected the casing of the starter to ground on a good battery, and then touched the positive to where the heavy positive lead connects to the starter, and it did nothing, no spinning, nothing at all. I touched the positive to the solenoid contact where the yellow wire that engages the gear on the starter, and it clicked once, and did engage the gear, so I know I had good ground and all. So I guess it is indeed the starter. I just ordered a rebuilt starter from NW Spped Equipment, and in a week, hopefuly Ill be running again. Thanks for all of your help, Chad
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