Starter Help

[BK]

I have a top mount starter on my BBC. End of the day at the ramp last weekend I went to start it to put it on the trailor pushed the start button and nothing, not even a click just nothing but the guage did move a little from like 12.5v to 11v. Wiggled the wires to the seilenoid hit the button and wallah it started. Next day took the boat out and had no problem, couple of days ago went out to try and start it and nothing again so today I replace the seilenoid and still nothing but the volt guage still moves a bit when I hit the starter button. What shoud I look at next? Ive got plans to go out tomarrow for the weekend but obviously need to get this fixed so thanks for any help!

[Nubbs]

Do you have a starter relay? If so, check your connections at the relay too.

[BK]

Nope no relay. Im gonna check all connections again tomarrow morning again just to make sure. I have a spare starter in my garage so if I have to i'll put it on, just a pain in the ass cause its a standard mount starter.

[Rexone]

I have a top mount starter on my BBC. End of the day at the ramp last weekend I went to start it to put it on the trailor pushed the start button and nothing, not even a click just nothing but the guage did move a little from like 12.5v to 11v. Wiggled the wires to the seilenoid hit the button and wallah it started. Next day took the boat out and had no problem, couple of days ago went out to try and start it and nothing again so today I replace the seilenoid and still nothing but the volt guage still moves a bit when I hit the starter button. What shoud I look at next? Ive got plans to go out tomarrow for the weekend but obviously need to get this fixed so thanks for any help!
Sounds to me like a bad, loose, corroded, or marginal connection. Check your bat cables + and ground. Check the ground cable at the block. If it's oily, loose or on a painted surface you may have located the problem. Check to see that the starter is bolted on tight and isn't on a painted surface of bellhousing or block. Paint is an insulator as is anodize. Obviously all of the above assumes you have a good strong battery to start with.
The fact that you wiggled wires and it worked tells me you are right on the edge of too much resistance to engage the solenoid. This may also be an issue of not enough voltage from the starter switch to the solenoid. Check the voltage at the start wire where it hooks onto the solenoid with the key over to start position. You should have full voltage when you hit start on that wire. If it's only 9-10 volts it's not enough to trip the starter solenoid. It can 90% of the time be solved with the simple addition of a slave solenoid to the system. If you need a diagram of how to wire one I'll find it and post it. Good luck.
One more possibility is a dead spot in the armature. Not likely though since it started after wiggling wires. The fact you didn't even get a click from the solenoid tells me you have a voltage problem at the solenoid either caused by a bad ground or insufficient juice to pull the solenoid from the ignition switch wire.

[blowngas]

seems like ford starters are notorias for having bendix engaging problems----I used to have to pull mine out of the town car and lube up the bendix with some grease and it would work ok for a while----then do it again a couple months later-------it was the same even after replacing starter more than once----coincendence???-----naaah, just fords better idea!!!