OK, so it wont start....
NOTHING!!

A few weeks ago there was a hesitation accompanied by a audible click when I hit the key, but it still started. Assumed it was a bad ground. Well, then you could turn the key and nothing happened at all, got a piece of pipe and whacked the crap out of the silinoid (know I spelled that wrong) and it started. So at this point I'm thinkin the things goin out. Come out thismorning and no amount of beating will start it up. So I reach down there with a screwdriver and jump the terminals on the starter. Sparks fly and the starter spins but the engine dosent turn over (???). Get inside, hit the key one last time and it fires right up..... what gives?


Any help will be much apreciated,

Max

 

You probably touched the wrong thing with the screwdriver; but by disturbing it, made it work, one last time.

Sounds like the usual starter death, with the dead spot. I don't know the cure. But I do know, that by the time a starter gets to that point, it's basically used up anyway; and you can either spend $30 on a bunch of parts and do 2 hours of labor in the form of taking the starter off, disasssembling it, cleaning it up, changing stuff out, re-assembling it, and putting it back on; or you can buy a whole starter for $30, R&R it, and skip all that other crap. Just go to the store and get a starter with solenoid and replace it, and be done with it.

Correct spelling is "solenoid", BTW.

 

The solenoid does 2 things:
It engages the starter gear with the flywheel and when it's at the end of its stroke, it closes some elec contacts internally that complete the circuit sending power to the starter motor.

When you "jumped the terminals", you sent power to the starter without energizing the solenoid. Result was the starter spun, but starter gear wasn't being push by the solenoid to engage the flywheel.

The click you hear when using the ign switch, is the solenoid actuating but the elec contacts inside the solenoid aren't making contact to power the starter motor.

I've disassembled mine and cleaned the contact surfaces with suscess. The contact surfaces are actually 2 bolt heads and a metal piece mounted to the solenoid plunger connects them together.
I was able to spin the bolt heads around 180 degs and get new contact surfaces.

 

Ahhh, I had forgotten that not only does the solenoid energize the starter, but it sends the gear out to the end of the bendix to engage the flywheel. Yes yes, common sense. Anyway, I allready removed the starter (did anybody else drop the y-pipe?) and the contacts were all kinds of cooked. So I just broke down and bought a brand new setup, didnt want to spend the money, but you cant really put a price on reliability.


Thanks for all the help,
Max