Starter almost caused a fire!
- Thread starter subzali
- Start date
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When you first turned on the key, did you hear a loud click (solenoid engaging?)
Did it click whe you released the key (Solenoid disengaging?)
As I understand how starters work, a smaller guage wire is switched (through the ignition switch), and this enables the curcuit which draws the current to pull in the solenoid.
With the solenoid engaged, the really high current cuircuit is established through the big lead that goes from the battery to the starter.
IMO, to get the symptoms you describe, the solenoid has to engage (you should have heard a click). I can't explain why the starter didn't turn.
Anyway to check solenoid operation without the high current to the main starter?
Good Luck
Rocky
Did it click whe you released the key (Solenoid disengaging?)
As I understand how starters work, a smaller guage wire is switched (through the ignition switch), and this enables the curcuit which draws the current to pull in the solenoid.
With the solenoid engaged, the really high current cuircuit is established through the big lead that goes from the battery to the starter.
IMO, to get the symptoms you describe, the solenoid has to engage (you should have heard a click). I can't explain why the starter didn't turn.
Anyway to check solenoid operation without the high current to the main starter?
Good Luck
Rocky
- Thread starter
- #23
Alright, got it fixed! The only thing I can figure is that I must've installed it wrong 
so that the teeth jammed somehow when the starter engaged, so it didn't really turn the engine but it was sinking a good bit of current. All the grounds were good, battery has good voltage and it has started up about 1/2 dozen times or more since Friday with no problems! So now that I got new spark plugs and new dizzy cap and rotor in there, with new wires coming soon, the Cruiser runs great! Thanks guys, sorry I freaked out, but I just am not used to hot smoking wires under my hood 
! 
so that the teeth jammed somehow when the starter engaged, so it didn't really turn the engine but it was sinking a good bit of current. All the grounds were good, battery has good voltage and it has started up about 1/2 dozen times or more since Friday with no problems! So now that I got new spark plugs and new dizzy cap and rotor in there, with new wires coming soon, the Cruiser runs great! Thanks guys, sorry I freaked out, but I just am not used to hot smoking wires under my hood ! - Thread starter
- #24
Okay, so the problem is still not gone evidently. The starter has been performing ALMOST flawlessly since we put it in. I think twice or three times it tried to continue spinning after the engine caught...but this morning - I went to start it and turned the key. It was cold and had been sitting overnight, so I figured it would need a few turns, so I turned the key off to rest the starter and try again. Well I turned the key to the off position and the engine kept spinning so I had to go run for the 1/2 wrench and pulled the battery cable off just as it was starting to warm up . So me and a buddy went off in the hills for the rest of the morning and about 4 hours later come back and try again. Without touching the keyswitch we reconnect the hot lead on the battery. The starter doesn't turn. So I try starting the truck and it starts right up! So it appears that the new starter solved the clicking problem I had originally, but now it seems that maybe the keyswitch needs to be looked at? We were thinking that something between START and ON isn't functioning properly and cutting power to the starter. Does this sound right? How hard/expensive is it to replace the keyswitch? I'm not out of the woods yet with this one... 
so I had to go run for the 1/2 wrench and pulled the battery cable off just as it was starting to warm up . So me and a buddy went off in the hills for the rest of the morning and about 4 hours later come back and try again. Without touching the keyswitch we reconnect the hot lead on the battery. The starter doesn't turn. So I try starting the truck and it starts right up! So it appears that the new starter solved the clicking problem I had originally, but now it seems that maybe the keyswitch needs to be looked at? We were thinking that something between START and ON isn't functioning properly and cutting power to the starter. Does this sound right? How hard/expensive is it to replace the keyswitch? I'm not out of the woods yet with this one... 
That sounds like what I was saying before. Something wrong in the switch that is powering the starter motor when it shouldn't. They are not very hard to replace. I don't know what better test there would be than for you to have power to the starter motor when you shouldn't. That's probably what screwed up your old starter.
- Thread starter
- #26
yeah I remembered you had said something about the keyswitch earlier...but the old starter kinda needed the boot anyway, but it seems as if this current problem is more of the intermittent type...I mean four hours of sitting makes a difference in an electrical connection? How does that make sense?
Did you replace the grounds? A bad ground will do EXACTLY what you are speaking of i.e. burning wires, starter continuing after ignition is off. Replace the grounds with NEW grounds and make sure the frame contacts are CLEAN and not RUSTY.
This is not only something that should be done to any vehicle but also very cheap.
This is not only something that should be done to any vehicle but also very cheap.
subzali said:
Quick rule of thumb:
"Always fix ground problems FIRST!"
Why? Because they can mimic/cause/enhance/disguise other electrical problems.
Kirk
We aren't really saying different things. I agree with replacing the wires and the contacts, but I'll bet the fault is in the switch, and that is why it is intermittant. It is worn, so the positions are fuzzy.
In other words, the contacts within the switch ARE the intermittant ground fault.
In other words, the contacts within the switch ARE the intermittant ground fault.
I am going to go with a bad ground strap from the starter to the frame. This is identical to what happened to me. It is intermittant, heat related and burning wires are the tell all for me.IDave said:
But....always a possibility of the switch.
I have seen this problem on Chevys. Check the alignment between the starter gear and the flywheel.
What happens is when you turn the key to "Start", the solenoid engages. The energized solenoid then pulls
a plunger in to 1, engage the starter gear with the flywheel. 2, close a heavy duty switch to provide
battery current to the starter motor.
If the gears bind, the solenoids small return spring can't pull the gears apart keeping the solenoid engaged
and providing full battery current to the starter motor.
It will smoke. Make sure the gears engage and disengage freely. Chevy does this with shims. A rebuilt starter might need some shims.
Good luck!
What happens is when you turn the key to "Start", the solenoid engages. The energized solenoid then pulls
a plunger in to 1, engage the starter gear with the flywheel. 2, close a heavy duty switch to provide
battery current to the starter motor.
If the gears bind, the solenoids small return spring can't pull the gears apart keeping the solenoid engaged
and providing full battery current to the starter motor.
It will smoke. Make sure the gears engage and disengage freely. Chevy does this with shims. A rebuilt starter might need some shims.
Good luck!