Starter? Ignition? The heck is going on here

[Biggwaukegan]

Starting issue...Geeze...Guys just dropped the th350 in the 86 cutlass over the th200. But finishing the job yesterday my starter went out on me. Ok...so I took it and had it rebuilt here in town. Brought it out this morning to finish up and it turned right over. K....but then I take a drive around town, smoke a couple of fords, then head home. Shut it off for 20 mins tops and now it wont start. Its not the battery, thats new optima redtop. It seems like its not (starter) working or some sh*t. I pulled it out and took it back to the shop that rebuilt it and guy tested it right in front of me and it worked. The hell is going on here

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Does the starter turn the engine over at all? If so, is it just really slow? Could be a heat soak issue especially since it didn't do it until after you shut the engine off and let it sit for 20 min.

What about your battery cables? They in good condition?

 

[Biggwaukegan]

doesnt even do that little brother. when i go to turn it over all it does is sh*t...no noise or anything. like the mf starter isnt even there. Im about to pull it out right now.. any hints at wtf it is goin on here
:evil:

 

[pontiacgp]

even new red tops can be defective so first think I'd be looking at the battery....if it's good and if you have the starter installed with your key on take a screw driver and jump the connection on the solenoid and see if the starter turns over. If it doesn't run a hot lead to the terminal on the solenoid and try jumping it again. If it didn't work with your key in the on position but it did work with the hot lead you have a problem with the ignition wire or the ignition box on your steering column....

 

[dan2286]

doesnt even do that little brother. when i go to turn it over all it does is sh*t...no noise or anything. like the mf starter isnt even there. Im about to pull it out right now.. any hints at wtf it is goin on here
:evil:

See if power is at the ignition switch wire when the key is in the start position.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

The reason I ask about the battery cables is that this sounds very similar to a problem I had years ago. Car would run fine. Turn it off and then go to restart and it would be dead as a door nail. Absolutely nothing. Then magically, it would restart for some reason and when it did, I didn't dare turn it off.

Although at one point I also think I was driving along and my headlights went out on me as well.

I checked things out and found that my positive battery cable at the starter was missing its protective shield for about a 1/2" or so and the bare wire had turned green. I used the opportunity to replace the wire with heavier 1 gauge wire and upgraded to a Jeg's mini starter at the same time. Never had another problem again.
Tested my starter out later and it was fine so my only thought was the battery cable was causing the problem.

 

[Biggwaukegan]

Well I have power when I turn the key to start it. Checked the voltage at battery, not to mention all my lights are working fine. but Im gonna go look at it today and see whay I can find.

 

[rccktmn2]

If you have a digital multimeter you can test your starter circuit, first check for battery voltage at the B terminal on the solenoid, if you have battery voltage put the red lead on the B terminal (where the Battery cable attatches to the solonoid), and the black on the M terminal (terminal from the solenoid to the starter motor) disable the spark going to the engine so the engine just cranks, with Meter hooked up crank engine with terminals on B and M and check for Voltage, this should be no more than .6 volts, if under .6 volts I would go with the heat soak problem as stated earlier. I also had a similiar problem a few year ago, if your car has headers make sure the battery cable is no where near the header because the insulation will melt off the cable and then it will ground its self to the header and cause a similar problem.

 

[Biggwaukegan]

GUYS THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT AS NORMAL...heres what it was....So I jack up the beast and get a real good look around. One of my fusible link wires is split dead in half. Bam. Some simple wire peeling and a connector. wrapped the whole deal up in a electrical blanket and wa la...Done deal. Although I think I need to either tighten or replace a transmission cooler line. Leaking right were the thread meets the bolt at the end of the line. anyhow Starts up and sounds tuff. Tuffer than a mustang for sure...haha

 

[Biggwaukegan]

whats a heat soak problem? sh*ts doing it to me again. I havent got under it to check it but I dont think the wires are seperated again. this mf is pissin me off. :evil: So whats heat soak anyways?