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.

 

[DRIVEN]

The spark indicates that there is a load of some sort. Might be the starter itself, might be a short to ground. Where is the clicking coming from? Is that the starter or something else?

 

[Tynan918]

The spark indicates that there is a load of some sort. Might be the starter itself, might be a short to ground. Where is the clicking coming from? Is that the starter or something else?

I'll check the ground connection. Seen somewhere where they said to check a ground shortage by using the negative ends on jumper cables, one to the negative terminal on the battery and the other end on the engine block, and attempt to start it. If it starts, there's a short in the ground connection.

I don't know what the clicking is, just realized towards the end of the video that the spark popping stops, and it just clicked without spark twice...

I'll put my video camera under the car showing the starter for any bendix movement causing the click.

 

[Tynan918]

I don't know what the clicking is, just realized towards the end of the video that the spark popping stops, and it just clicked without spark twice...

I'll put my video camera under the car showing the starter for any bendix movement causing the click.

Checked...No bendix movement or clicking from the starter, but it still sparks at the connector under the dash.

I'll check the ground connection. Seen somewhere where they said to check a ground shortage by using the negative ends on jumper cables, one to the negative terminal on the battery and the other end on the engine block, and attempt to start it. If it starts, there's a short in the ground connection.

Here is the ground connection from the negative battery post to the engine...looks corroded pretty bad...

Here is the ground connection at the fender...looks ok...

Did the jumper cable trick...one end on the battery terminal and the other on the ground connection on the engine... But still no crank

 

[Tynan918]

My neutral safety switch doesn't have any purple or purple and white wires connected to it...
(the purple wire you see isn't connected to the NSS nor associated with the solenoid ignition wire, it's a smaller gauge).

 

[Tynan918]

Just had my youngest brother hold a multimeter on the attached "S" starter terminal wire while I held the ignition switch in the crank position...we did that 3 times and held it for 10 seconds each time.

While held in the crank position, the wire reads 6.3 to 7.4 volts, the voltage raising each time, but never going above 7.4 volts.

 

[DRIVEN]

So, heavy voltage drop. Not quite an open circuit but not enough voltage to operate the solenoid. Do you have 12v at the ignition switch or is voltage low there too?

If you have low voltage at the ignition switch, start testing upstream.

If you have 12v at the ignition switch, I would check the bulkhead connector by the brake booster next. See if there is a loose connection or corrosion causing the low voltage at the solenoid.

 

[Tynan918]

Do you have 12v at the ignition switch or is voltage low there too?

While holding in the crank position or in the "ON" position ?

 

[Tynan918]

If you have 12v at the ignition switch, I would check the bulkhead connector by the brake booster next. See if there is a loose connection or corrosion causing the low voltage at the solenoid.

Will do.

 

[Tynan918]

If you have 12v at the ignition switch, I would check the bulkhead connector by the brake booster next. See if there is a loose connection or corrosion causing the low voltage at the solenoid.

Battery is reading 12.2 volts...I read a minimum should be 12.4 volts, and 12.6 volts is a healthy battery.

Red wire (12v) at the blue connector reads 11.9 volts, in the on position.

Red wire (12v) at the blue connector reads 12.2 volts, in the crank position.

 

[Tynan918]