Okay, Good afternoon everybody...

I have just a quick one to run by yall.....

So I did a front brake job last Wednesday and went to take her for a spin... I get in, turn the key and hear the starter give a single click. I got under her and beat the starter with a hammer and still, just a click.

Okay, I leave the ignition in the "On" position and run a jumper from the battery to the starter solenoid and she starts right up. That evening she starts and stops a few times without any problems. The next day, she starts and stops again around the house okay so I take her for a drive and come back home. Now the starter just clicks again. I was once again able to get the starter to actuate via a jumper wire to the solenoid but afeter turning her off, she will not start via the igniton switch anymore.

This has got to be a straightforward starter problem, right? Well, starter or solenoid, Im gonna replace the entire starter unit but thought Id throw it out there for any words of wisdom before going for it.

What say you, good people?

 

First, lets us check out the electrical big wires that might be involved. Clean the battery posts and terminals, and follow that black wire from battery down by the radiator to where it ties to the frame. Remove and scrub clean and replace. On the red wire, do the same, it ends up at the starter. If it starts up with direct jump to starter, then it may not be the starter.

Starter is a PITA to replace, so checking wires may avoid that afternoon of fun.

 

Where are you placing the jumper cable?
starter.jpg?t=1268776267

On the larger nut (feed from the battery) right under the red circle in the above photo? Or around the other side where the jumper runs from the solenoid to the starter motor?

If the former, then you need to do what Savannah suggests, plus the ground strap from the starter.
If the latter, then you probably have a failing solenoid, though cleaning all the cable connections is worthwhile anyway.

I'm assuming you've verified that it is indeed the solenoid clicking and not the relay.

 

Mine was the ground connection from starter to frame. The damn thing was totally corroded at the frame end.

 

Thanks for the quick replies...

It is definitely the starter that is clicking, not a relay.
After removing the heat shield I gave everything the once over... While it is quite grimy, everything seems to be in order. I have been successful starting it by jumping the post that ties the solenoid to the motor, so everything points to the starter. I got the old unit pulled off last night and will be refitting with a Napa reman this evening... Ill let yall know what the outcome is.

 

Good. Now is a good time to replace the two socket cap screws with regular hex cap screws.

 

And you maywant to hold onto that original starter instead of giving it up in lieu of a small core charge.

Get it tested at least. If it is not badly damaged they can be worth rebuilding.

If the reman does not hold up there is a smaller new high torque one available for about 200 bucks that lots of people swear by. The name escapes me. English made I think.

 

Bristishstarters.com but it's a Denso gear reduction starter.

Actually it sounds like it's the solenoid that failed rather than the starter motor.

 

I agree with you Tom, I just didn't want him to turn in a good starter on a rebuild and then still have a problem.

And go ahead and check all those grounds for problems.

 

I just meant it could have been fixed with a replacement solenoid rather than a complete starter.
Just for reference for anyone else with the same symptoms.