coil voltage cranking

Have a 327 with a mini starter with two wires. Used the diode jumper from the starter to the pos terminal on coil. Here's the deal. with ignition on I get 12 volts. Cranking I get 9 volts. Isn't this ass backwards? What is wrong here?

Gary

 

The starter is pulling more than something in the system can supply, either the battery, the cables, orclamps, etc. can't supply the amps needed and thereby pull down the voltage, or you have a bad starter that's pulling more amps than it should and that's pulling down the voltage.
What do you have for cables and cable clamps? Is the battery OK? Do you have a good ground setup? Get someone to bench test the starter for amp draw. Too many possibilities to nail it down without more info.
Dave

 

The battery and cables are somewhat new. I will check the starter draw even though it is new and check the ground strap from the engine to the frame.

 

Too bad that starter doesn't have the "R" terminal on the solenoid
And the diode jumper - isn't that a resistor?
Are you running points?