I've been struggling with this problem on and off for ten years and have not been able to figure it out. Here it is: From time to time, when I turn the key, the starter solenoid will not fully engage. You can hear a sort of clunk as it moves into position, but it doesn't go far enough to make the electrical contact to spin the starter. Now, this can happen at any given time. Perhaps it's first thing and you sit there and click the key on and off a bunch of times and it finally works. Or, you may have started and shut it off 5 times that day, but the sixth time it pulls the same old crap - but the seventh time it's like nothing is wrong. I have changed the starter. I have changed the solenoid. I have changed and charged the battery. This weekend, I got fed up with they key switch while getting my carb tuned and decided to just run a jumper wire from the battery to the solenoid. It usually worked, but every once in a while the solenoid would only engage half way and I'd squeeze it just a little tiny bit and it would engage. I've tried lubricating the piston - no help. Any idea? Could the switch be bad? It doesn't seem like it. Could the wires be bad? Again, no sign of a problem there. I've installed a new ground cable thinking it might help, but no dice. My next thought was to upgrade to 12 volts, hoping that would help, but the issue with the jumper wire has me thinking it's something else. Any and all help appreciated.
If you have a powerglide could be N switch of the key switch itself.Try another ign switch and the end of wire maybe ready to brake off at solinode.
It's a standard. The wire end seems okay. Like I mentioned, I've swapped the solenoid a couple of times and never noticed any fraying or corrosion. There's onl 63K on the car, so I wouldn't think the switch would be worn out. It doesn't feel loose or anything.
I have had alot of stovebolt cars over the years. Trust me convert it to 12V for reliability. I always leave the 6V starter and never have issues. So you will need a 12V gen. and reg. and all the bulbs also a 12v 2 prong flasher. Disconect the fuel sender untill you can convert the gas guage power supply. For the gas gauge I use a Sirius satalite radio cigarete lighter power supply and wire it up under the dash. Its a electronicly regulated step down transformer that supplys a perfectly constant 6V. I have used all kind of resistors and diode steppers and they never work on the sencitive gauge, my fix works perfect. Ask me any questions if you decide to go ahead with the convertion.
Pull the solenoid, remove metal end cap. Then file the contacts smooth where the big copper disc meets the field connection. If the disc is burnt, flip it over. A parts house may be able to find a rebuild kit if any of your parts are toasted beyond filing. The ign. switch is worth a closer look - grab a flashlight & make sure it hasn't been fried from somebody cranking it for 2 minutes at a time. You'll see burn discoloration of the wiring if this has happened. Assuming you're still 6 volt ... setting the regulator to charge 7.4 -7.8 volts will also help.
Unsafe6 - that sounds awesome. For the conversion, I was thinking about going with a PowerGEN alternator. Any thoughts? I figure by the time I'm done either buying a 12 Volt Gen or getting my 6 Volt gen rewired and buying a 12 volt regulator/rectifier, it would end up costing about the same. 302GMC - I'll get at that switch tonight. I've thought about adjusting the regulator, but haven't had the guts.
If you go with an alternator Id use a tried and true delcotron. Lots of brackets available for them if you cant fabricate your own. Regulator adjustment is easy, its explained very well in the factory manual available on the Old Chevy Manuals Online site. Heres a link. http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/
Cleaning the disc and contacts in the solenoid is always a good idea. There's a lot of arcing that goes on and the fuzzies that creates can insulate and prevent contact. Another thing to look at is that the shift lever that the solenoid pulls is not worn out on the pivot and that the gear is not butting on the flywheel and not fully engaging. The safety feature there is that if the pinion doesn't mesh, then the contact can't be made. And there should be a bevel on the ring gear and the pinion to help the engagement, sometimes the pinion is worn away and don't have the slight angle on the front teeth to help engage the ring gear.
Clean out the ashtray..... The Bendix is hitting worn teeth on the flywheel and cannot engage the solenoid. Look at your flywheel......My O/T fairlane had the same problem...had to push start it most of the time.
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