Starter not starting

[cory13]

Hey all, been working on a '84 115 inline for a while now, It was dry for quiet some time prior to me working with it. Anyway always seemed to crank right over without a problem, but the water pump was bad so i never really ran it. So I replaced the wp last week change the fluid and had also replaced a bad stator sometime ago. Got it all back together fired it up all worked great, on muffs though it took some time to crank over, gave the battery quiet a workout, and at one point the starter actually stuck in on spinning though not engaged until I tapped it and which time it quit, (funny thing I had turned the key off) Now again it eventually started and ran great every thing worked without problems. Fast forwards about a week, I've got a can to dunk the thing in, filled it dunk the motor fire it over and nothing but a dull hummmm. try,try,try,try all the same. open housing up found the starter engaged in the flywheel and stuck would not retract when key was turned off. and would not turn the motor when the keys was turned on. I manually tapped the top of the starter and it retracted. I can turn the motor by hand (though not easy mind you, lots of compression) Now when I turn the key on the started spins but does not move up and engage the flywheel it just spins in place. , Measured the volts at the large yellow wire going in ( i assume is the hot) it shows just under 2 volts when the keys is turned. So I'm lost as to the real problem.

I'm I looking at a starter problem?
or
I'm I looking at a selinod problem where the hot from battery, switchs over to the hot for the starter with the key? (the connection right under the starter in the lower housing)
or
Is this some else and I'm way off base?

Sorry for being so long winded, figured details were required at this point though.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter not starting

1st you need a full charged battery.

90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.

also have the battery load tested at the auto parts store, free, i've had new batteries go bad

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Starter not starting

Put a bit of oil on the starter bendix (where the gear rides) and see if that helps. You should have at least 8.5 Volts on the starter connection, when cranking the motor. Anything less is a problem.

 

[cory13]

Re: Starter not starting

Thanks for the tips, I've got hte battery on a charger now, and the neighbor has a load tester, I start there, and move up. Might be the cables their all orignal in the housing. I'll let you know.

 

[rtpassini]

Re: Starter not starting

tashasdaddy, i was reading in a manual, and i said some starters cannot be fixed and must be replaced? did i read it wrong? or was it that certian parts had to be replaced?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Starter not starting

Generally it is only cost effective to replace starter brushes. If something else is broken, it is better to replace with a new aftermarket or used starter. Starter shops can rewind and rebuild starters as well, if their price is les than new aftermarket or used.