ive got everything set up for the ford for it to turn over and start the motor. its got a 65 283 sbc, but when i go to start it - momentary button switch--- the starter just clicks once. and thats it? what could it be? distributor and everything should set up right, but it wont even try to turn over it just clicks once??? thanx tim
You double checked to see that it still spins by hand? And your battery is in good condition and charged? Remember to look at the simple stuff first. -Jeff
yeah, battery brand new and good to go, even double checked it, starting to think maybe somethings up with the starter
If your running the chevy starter solenoid then do you have the ignition switch start wire going to the inner small terminal on the chevy solenoid? Normally you can just take a screw driver and arc from the main battery terminal on the starter to the inner small wire and the engine will crank over. This is just a quick test to see if the battery has juice and the starter is good.
Drop the starter, leaving the wires hooked up and see if it works. Do you have the starter shimmed properly?
gona try taping the starter, arching the soliniod, and making sure the ground strap is right. then ill get back to ya with what i know thanx tim
your local auto parts store will have shims ... use a feeler guage and adjust with the different thickness's ... i dont know the clearance off hand, but you can find it in any SBC book (i think)..
alright so tried ALL of that stuff and no dice. the starter is on there and it looks like a paper clip clearnace as recomended per somebdoys advice. but its still no doing anything it looks shimed right but there isnt any shims in there, could that be whats triping us up? it wont even try to turn over grrr
[ QUOTE ] momentary button switch [/ QUOTE ] If you have a true momentary switch, that's your problem. Momentaries energize a circuit momentarily and drop out. What you want is a "normally open" switch. Engage it to energize the start circuit and release to de-energize the start circuit.
ive got one switch to "arm" the motor then the momentary one for the starter. its just one of those big black push button ones? shouldnt it keep power going as long as i hold it down?
I'm not sure what you mean by "arming" the starter motor. Your big black push button switch sounds like it should be a "normally open" switch. You may want to check though.** Once you energize the starter solenoid circuit, the solenoid should 'bang in', make contact and the starter motor start spinning over. One question though: when you push the push button does it physically 'click' and then drop in a little further or does it just go to the bottom with no noise. The click and release bit would indicate a momentary switch and one that slides smoothly in would indicate a normally open - or closed - switch. More than likely you have the right switch, but your momentary description gives me pause for thought. **The test is, set up your volt-ohmmeter for continuity and with the switch disconnected from the car wiring and the volt-ohhmeter connected between the terminals, push the button and see what the volt-ohmmeter reads. If the needle jumps to continuity and drops out you have a true momentary switch. If continuity remains as long as you hold the switch down, you have a normal switch and the problem lies elsewhere. One problem you could be having is a solenoid contact bolt burned away. Pull the solenoid, open it up and examine the bolt's flat head inside where the solenoid makes electrical - and physical - contact. You'll find a quarter moon shape burned into the contact bolt. (The contact bolt is the inside flat area of where the big battery cable connects.) If the quarter moon shape is deep enough, you don't have adequate contact. Loosen the contact bolt lock down nut and rotate the contact bolt 180 degrees so as to expose a new face for electrical contact. Re-tighten. This is a simple cure for GM starter/solenoid problems and it will last for a long time. I'm guessing if you have the right push button switch - and you probably do - the contact bolt is your problem.
the "arming switch" is just the rest of the electrics in the car, flip the switch and hit the button to juice the starter to get it to start. ill look into all this tomorow when i get back to the car, i think the first thing im going to do is pull the wires off that switch and put them to a differnt one and see if it isnt just the switch, never know thanx for the soliniod tip
Arming switch, eh Tim? Didja get the ign switch outa an F-16 or what? See if you can turn the engine by hand before you go through all these changes with wiring etc etc. See if that engine's siezed. I'd try to turn it with the alternator belt first. If it turns, great. Then go for the electrics. If it doesn't turn with the belt, climb underneath with a long screwdriver and try to pry the starter ring gear on the flywheel. You can get a ton of leverage this way. It should turn easily. Don't FORCE IT! You could bust off a starter ring gear tooth or injure the engine. If it still won't turn over, you may have to open it up to find out why. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TURN THE ENGINE WITH THE BALANCER BOLT! SBC's have a little 7/16ths bolt that will strip out with too much pressure. Axe my brother.... If you get it to turn over by hand
it turned over by hand just fine when it was out of the car not to long ago. im thinking its a crapy soliniod after talking wiht some people looks like a new soliniod, a new m/c, a belt, some bulbs, and some creative exhaust and its done
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