Reply With QuoteIs the ground cable bolted directly to the block? Definately sounds like an amperage/voltage drop problem...
I have a 94 Sunkist performer chevy BBC jet with two fours that i bought used last year.I purchased a new starter as my old one went bad. I got a brand new hi torque mini starter instead of the standard delco, Also put in a brand new optima blue top battery. The problem is that when i first put the starter on it dragged, tried it again , it ran but cut off. So i hit the switch again and nothing at all, no clicking or anything. Volt guage reading 12 volts, WTF, i put the charger on the battery and it fired up no problem.Did it again..started again. I turned the charger off and nothing at all. Tried a running a new wire from ignition to starter, nothing , tried a new igniton switch , nothing. I took the new battery out and hooked it up to my truck, it started it. I am getting 12 volts to starter, ignition and alt., all wire is at least 10 to 14 guage and installed new cables for the battery terminals (screw on kind not the car ones). Checked all wires none loose and the fuses are good.So now i put my old broke starter back on an it spins but wont engage the motor. This is the second starter(hi Torque) i have gotton, the first one broke the casing and had to be replaced.Its like the starter needs more than my 12 volts to make it spin, putting a starter on should not be this diffifcult. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ......
Is the ground cable bolted directly to the block? Definately sounds like an amperage/voltage drop problem...
The ground cable is bolted through my rail kit to my block, this is the original setup as i have not changed it, the only thing i have changed is what i have mentioned before. No problems before...
does the motor turn over easily with a breaker bar?
try it with the plugs out. You may have fuel in the cylinders..doesn't take much fuel either. I would go direct to the block with the ground wire do it like harry wrote.. Also, can you verify the clearance between the starter gear and the flexplate with the paper clip. I know I know its not easy to see in there and darned near impossible with the two gears engaged. You may have not enough clearance between the two gears and this could cause a broken cone! If she'll turn over right without the plugs you'll be able to hear if you have proper engagement...most guys never need a shim but you could be lucky today! Also, are you using the right starter bolts..you know the knurled shaft. They can make an incredible difference.
keep us updated and good luck!
try it with the plugs out. You may have fuel in the cylinders..doesn't take much fuel either. I would go direct to the block with the ground wire do it like harry wrote.. Also, can you verify the clearance between the starter gear and the flexplate with the paper clip. I know I know its not easy to see in there and darned near impossible with the two gears engaged. You may have not enough clearance between the two gears and this could cause a broken cone! If she'll turn over right without the plugs you'll be able to hear if you have proper engagement...most guys never need a shim but you could be lucky today! Also, are you using the right starter bolts..you know the knurled shaft. They can make an incredible difference.
keep us updated and good luck!
Yep, exactly what he said.
With everything hooked up the way it doesn't work, try adding a jumper cable from the batt - to the starter mounting flange and see if anything changes. I would suggest grounding on clean, unpainted engine block, as close to the starter as possible. Remember, the way it was used up the last starter for some reason, and low voltage and/or bad ground will waste a new starter quickly. It will also allow an engine to "kick back" against the starter, cracking the nose...........MP
try it with the plugs out. You may have fuel in the cylinders..doesn't take much fuel either. I would go direct to the block with the ground wire do it like harry wrote.. Also, can you verify the clearance between the starter gear and the flexplate with the paper clip. I know I know its not easy to see in there and darned near impossible with the two gears engaged. You may have not enough clearance between the two gears and this could cause a broken cone! If she'll turn over right without the plugs you'll be able to hear if you have proper engagement...most guys never need a shim but you could be lucky today! Also, are you using the right starter bolts..you know the knurled shaft. They can make an incredible difference.
keep us updated and good luck!
Thanks CHC, Basically whats goin on is this .. Put charger on battery (New battery and new hi torque starter) motor will fire and run. Take charger off , will not start or do anything. Put on old junk starter(bad bendix) no charger and the starter will engage, make noise etc.(wont turn over because of bad bendix).SO why will the new hi torque starter not work but the old one will, remeber that the hi torque jobby did the first time out and but not anymore unless its on a charger.
Motor will run so its not locked up or anything. Cant run long as no water to the pump. The new hi torque starter engages fine (clearance checked with paper clip etc..) while on the charger, and it also comes with different bolts. You can not use knurled bolts on this starter without tapping out the holes. But alignment is not my problem now. I will have to check and see about a new ground, but my digital tester kept reading as a good ground for my 12 volts...especially to my starter .. These starters are used by a very respected jet builder on all his engines... Thanks again for the responses..
Thanks CHC, Basically whats goin on is this .. Put charger on battery (New battery and new hi torque starter) motor will fire and run. Take charger off , will not start or do anything. Put on old junk starter(bad bendix) no charger and the starter will engage, make noise etc.(wont turn over because of bad bendix).SO why will the new hi torque starter not work but the old one will, remeber that the hi torque jobby did the first time out and but not anymore unless its on a charger.
Motor will run so its not locked up or anything. Cant run long as no water to the pump. The new hi torque starter engages fine (clearance checked with paper clip etc..) while on the charger, and it also comes with different bolts. You can not use knurled bolts on this starter without tapping out the holes. But alignment is not my problem now. I will have to check and see about a new ground, but my digital tester kept reading as a good ground for my 12 volts...especially to my starter .. These starters are used by a very respected jet builder on all his engines... Thanks again for the responses..
check the voltage from the positive post on the starter and one of the starter bolts, then have someone try and crank it,there should be more than 10volts will crankin(or attempting to anyway).if there's a voltage drop to the starter it'll show up this way.
With everything hooked up the way it doesn't work, try adding a jumper cable from the batt - to the starter mounting flange and see if anything changes. I would suggest grounding on clean, unpainted engine block, as close to the starter as possible. Remember, the way it was used up the last starter for some reason, and low voltage and/or bad ground will waste a new starter quickly. It will also allow an engine to "kick back" against the starter, cracking the nose...........MP
Moneypitt-Just read your post...
I will try and see about the jumper tomorrow. Everything was hooked backed up to the way it was when i bought the boat last year. So could have a low battery fried my old starter? But how would that explain why my new battery will not work with my new starter. It has 12 volts and reading 12 volts to the starter. I was thinking a ground my self, but its grounded exact same spot as before and it ran fine for at least 2 seasons that i had it.
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