Click click click click CRANK!

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Start looking for

1. Bad starter motor solenoid
2. Bad contacts in the starter solenoid
3. Bad ground connection somewhere
4. Bad +ve connection
5. Bad ignition switch
6. Weak battery
would the clicking sound indicate that it has a good ignition switch?
 
watching the lights dim to me indicates its drawing power into the solenoid but the plunger is not extending out to the ring gear

remove the starter and open up & clean the solenoid contact areas with contact cleaner / sand paper ( it will be evident if theyre worn out, if the case buy a refresh kit) as well as the plunger area and reassemble it with clean fresh grease (just a little bit) and then bench test before reinstalling

 
Last edited:
I’m making sure I push the key in as deep as I can and it’s cranking every time.
 
@Sacred80 : What do you know about your starter, original, aftermarket rebuild ?? Miles on your 80?


"would the clicking sound indicate that it has a good ignition switch?"

So the engine cranks (starter turns normally) and the engine starts every time you push firmly inward with the ignition key while turning it??


Not saying this is the cause of your issue, but for reference regarding the ignition switch here's a link about cleaning up the contacts inside the ignition switch; there's a good link about broken ignition rods (also not your issue) that helps show how those components all work together.




IME the ignition switch can develop oxidation and carbon build up between the copper contacts inside the switch hoowever the ignition switch that was taken apart in the thread above was still working normally, the poster's OCD took over and he took the switch apart to see how it worked. 🤔


Agree with everyone above, the symptoms sound like a typical worn starter contacts and plunger in the solenoid (magnetic switch part of the starter)
so that's one of the first things to check.

The only part of the story that doesn't seem to fit is your statement that pushing the key firmly inward while turning fixes the issue??

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Don't mean to get you off tract (listen to the experts above), just added below for reference:

A couple photos of the ignition switch taken apart (from the thread above):

Copper contacts/plates showing oxidation, light burn marks, and old dried up grease. These contacts sit one on top of the other when in place over the black assembly (2nd photo):

1789690094873.webp



The black assembly in the center of the ignition switch housing is what turns (with the contact plates) with the key/cylinder/ignition rod. Look closely for the 5 small springs (sticking upward in the photo) which press on the copper contact plates when assembled. Those copper contacts/plates slide over the round/button contacts shown in the bottom photo ie: as the assembly is turned from OFF-ACC-ON-START

1789689452632.webp






This shows the (cleaned) contacts that the copper plates slide over as the key/ignition is turned through it's four positions:

1789689524212.webp




Here's another related link where replacing the starter did not fix the issue:


 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom