Owen Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 seriously...WTF is wrong here??!! My starter made the dreaded clicking sound, it's 4 months old and I have no receipt. So I took it apart and bench tested it. Works like it's supposed to. So I reinstall it...CLICK! WTF!?! Actually I KNEW this was gonna happen cuz I have become pretty good at pedicting my own dumb luck. So I take the starter out, set it on the floor, reconnect my wires...and it works! Note: -all electrical power was fed from a jump starter thingy (75amp) that plugs into the wall -solenoid activation was done both with in-car switch as well as with a handheld push button starter switch -I'm using a Ford remote solenoid which works fine -the engine is not seized All I can guess is that when I re-install it, it shorts + power directly to thestarter body and then to ground. OR it is too weak to spin the flywheel..which is odd since it was spinning the motor two weeks before all this happened... This is so stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Check battery terminals for tightness and corrosion. Also check battery voltage. Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted November 7, 2006 Author Share Posted November 7, 2006 No battery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Oops I missed that. Hmm... maybe the charger doesn't have enough juice. It could also just be a bad starter. I built one out of two busted ones and it did the same thing. It had a short that would only manifest itself under load. Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruez Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Try putting the two posts together with a screwdriver or something... see if that makes it turn.. if it turns over then, the solenoid is shot. (make sure its outta gear) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roninjiro Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 not enough cranking amps, or just not enough power. i think you broke it...j/k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted November 7, 2006 Author Share Posted November 7, 2006 Try putting the two posts together with a screwdriver or something... see if that makes it turn.. if it turns over then, the solenoid is shot. (make sure its outta gear) I have a push button, it's handheld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted November 7, 2006 Author Share Posted November 7, 2006 Oops I missed that. Hmm... maybe the charger doesn't have enough juice. It could also just be a bad starter. I built one out of two busted ones and it did the same thing. It had a short that would only manifest itself under load. Mario Yeah, under load is where it's F-ed. That's what i'm trying to figure out how to fix...wiring's ok, no crud or corrosion in the starter itself, I can't take the solenoid apart...what a POS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 If it's under load I doubt it's in the solenoid. Mostly likely in the windings of the motor, it probably gets hot and opens up as soon as you juice it under load. Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted November 7, 2006 Author Share Posted November 7, 2006 No way to fix this huh? At least not without spending enough money to buy another starter... Thanks for the advice guys! Wait, instead of a new thread, what causes this crap to happen. Heat most likely, and age? I should get a nitrous spray bar and aim it at the starter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 If you don't have a battery in the car that jumper thing will not turn the starter under load. You've got 75 amps, read the cranking amps on any auto battery. In the hundreds. Put a battery in the car and try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 I agree with Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted November 8, 2006 Author Share Posted November 8, 2006 My bad, I DID have it jumped to another running car and no luck. I tried again today with another car. The thing is FUBAR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buZy Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 Is it binding on the flywheel gear Gear mesh ok? Just a thought if it worked on the bench but not in car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 My bad, I DID have it jumped to another running car and no luck. I tried again today with another car. The thing is FUBAR. try putting that battery in the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted November 8, 2006 Author Share Posted November 8, 2006 Is it binding on the flywheel gear Gear mesh ok? Just a thought if it worked on the bench but not in car. I don't know...the gear on the starter shows wear marks but that may be from when it was working. Maybe I'll put a little liquid paper on and try again. I've taken this damn thing out more than 15 times already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted November 8, 2006 Author Share Posted November 8, 2006 try putting that battery in the car. Yeah, I thought of that. But was too lazy and hooked up the 75A booster instead. That should get me enough current right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 No. Like mark said, most batteries are at least 800 amps, a lot are over a thousand. Put a good battery in it, make sure the cables and ends are in good shape, be sure the grounds are good, and give it a try. jt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumo Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 No. Like mark said, most batteries are at least 800 amps, a lot are over a thousand. Put a good battery in it, make sure the cables and ends are in good shape, be sure the grounds are good, and give it a try. jt Like jt and Mark said, you need a good or fresh battery, the 75Amps is merely for boosting a weak battery and is not enough cranking amps to turn the engine over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 I DID have it jumped to another running car and no luck. I tried again today with another car. Most jumper cables made now-a-days are junk!! The cables themselves are to thin to carry much current, the end clamps are toys. Most are junky $hit that somebody gives Dad as part of an emergency kit for father's day and he throws it in his trunk and never even uses them. Years ago a mechanic buddy of mine was helping me try to start a dead car. I'm telling him, 'I tried to jump it, it won't start', he says 'let me see those cables' looks at the cables I'm using and goes 'those things are junk'. He pulls out a set with big thick cables and guess what, car fires right up. After that I made my own set from some 00 cable I got off an old welder, and some nice ends. Had them for years and never failed to work. I think you should put a battery in the car. Check the cables, cable ends, make sure everything is clean and tight. Like somebody said above, those jumper boxes are made for used car lots on cars that just sat up for to long. Until you have a know to be good battery in the car, you are just wasting time trying to diagnois a starting problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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