Starter Issue - No Crank

[Tynan918]

'84 Monte Carlo SS...

My starter isn't cranking when I put the ignition switch in the crank position... It's how I start my car until I can afford another steering column.

I also have a bump starter button under the hood that isn't cranking the engine over... I used this to start my engine for months.

Only time I can get it to crank over and start the engine is if I jump it using a screwdriver, with the ignition switch in the on position.

I know it isn't the ignition switch because I have two of them, and 1 is brand new...same results with both.

The purple solenoid wire is getting power to it.

Used to start up just fine, until I over flooded the engine in the middle of traffic and continually kept trying to crank over the engine. My last attempt during that time, the starter continued to crank itself over on it's own for a good 30-45 seconds after I put the ignition switch back in the "OFF" position..

Had it towed home and replaced the oil and got the flooding to quit and carburetor under control...

Went to start it using the ignition switch and nothing happened...

Went to start it with the bump starter and nothing happened...

Jumped it with a screwdriver and it fired right up, but not with the bump starter or the ignition switch.

I don't trust to keep starting the engine like this as the starter may give out on me anywhere leaving me stuck and require another costly tow I can't afford...

My starter is good for a free replacement under warranty, and I'm thinking the solenoid gave out on it causing the issue I'm having now.

Anyone else think the same thing ?

Any other suggestions are considered. Thanks in advance.

 

[Tynan918]

Take that back, noticed I didn't reattach my two spark plug wires I removed to get to the starter wire bolts...

That's why it ran rough and smelt like gas out the exhaust pipe.

 

[JD254]

The automatic cars don't have an electrical but a mechanical neutral saftey. It'll prevent the mechanical operation of the key to switch rod in any position other than Park or Neutral. The purple 12ga wire will run from the column plug at the starter switch to the firewall junction block. Now the manual cars would have a mechanically interrupted electrical switch. As for this switch, it just has the electrical for your back up lights (blue & green) & to relay to the TCC (black & orange/black) if the car is in gear or not.

does that mean in theory that you could disconnect the neutral safety or maybe more properly named the reverse light switch and start the car only in park or neutral?

 

[g0thiac]

I honestly believe this carburetor is about to give out (Edelbrock Performer 650 cfm)... I've rebuilt it twice and it keeps flooding on me after awhile... Just can't afford a new one, and likely won't find one at a salvage yard...🤷🏾‍♂

And thank you.

Grab a Quadrajet and throw it on. If you can rebuild that ed it should be no problem.

Don't forget to make sure your timing is right too, and check your vacuum hoses.

 

[pagrunt]

does that mean in theory that you could disconnect the neutral safety or maybe more properly named the reverse light switch and start the car only in park or neutral?

Yes, I have a floor shift column I pulled it off of & it did. Car is a manual conversion & didn't need it since it has the pedal switch.

 

[JD254]

Yes, I have a floor shift column I pulled it off of & it did. Car is a manual conversion & didn't need it since it has the pedal switch.

good to know so i can rule that out when trying to start the car and nothing is happening it happens so intermittently i just replaced it last weekend thinking it could be contributing to the problem but then i saw this thread and no purple or purple and white wire come off it just like in the cutlass maybe the ignitiopn switch has to be adjusted correctly or it will have issues