Strange starter problem....
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Strange starter problem.... This is for my mustang with an LS2 motor, '05 GTO starter, and I'm using the Fidanza aluminum flywheel for the LS7 clutch. I have a 3/0 cable hooked to the large stud on the starter and the other end is hooked to the positive terminal on the battery. I have a 14-gauge wire running to the small stud on the starter and that comes off of my ignition switch. What is happening is that I hear the solenoid pull in and kick the gear out to hit the flywheel, but the starter motor will not turn? I can sit there and turn the key 10-12 times and it will finally work, but most of the time it just clicks.... Yes the battery is good and yes I have a 3/0 negative cable running to the engine block from the battery. I've had the starter off 5-6 times and it works perfect on the bench, but once it's on the car it acts up. Cold/hot, it doesn't matter. I only have a safety switch on my clutch pedal, but that shouldn't be the problem because I can hear the solenoid working every time....
Last edited by jw33; Apr 7, 2008 at 12:00 AM.
you could still have a bad conn. on the bat, or frame (neg) have you tried hooking up a bat charger on start, see what happens? could be a weak cell in the bat, or maybe the starter needs shims, to tight in the flywheel?
maybe you could have the starter load tested, coulds also be a weak spot in the windings-did it work ok before any work was done?
maybe you could have the starter load tested, coulds also be a weak spot in the windings-did it work ok before any work was done?
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All of the connections are tight and the battery is fully charged. It does the same thing even with a good set of jumper cables hooked up to a running car. I put an amp clamp on the cables with the starter on the bench and it is barely drawing any current with no load. I can only assume the starter was working fine before because it came off of a 25K mile car. It's almost like the bendix is not going far enough out and allowing the solenoid to make the power connection for the starter motor while on the car. It may need to be shimmed, but I didn't know this style could be shimmed???
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It could be a bad mesh/too tight with the flywheel. I had a problem with a GTO starter, where the starter wouldn't disengage immediately and it squeeled loudly. After some research, I found out GM had a regular problem with this and they started making shims for it.
Here's a thread I had on it: https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...hlight=starter
Here's a thread I had on it: https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...hlight=starter
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I was using the ford solenoid at first, but I ditched that idea thinking that maybe somehow I was over taxing the 12v ignition source by activating two solenoids at the same time. I've since hooked the positive cable from the starter motor directly to the positive terminal on the battery and wired it just like GM designed it with no luck...
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It could be a bad mesh/too tight with the flywheel. I had a problem with a GTO starter, where the starter wouldn't disengage immediately and it squeeled loudly. After some research, I found out GM had a regular problem with this and they started making shims for it.
Here's a thread I had on it: https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...hlight=starter
Here's a thread I had on it: https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...hlight=starter
I think that may be my problem. It works perfectly on the bench, but on the car it is hit or miss, mostly miss.... I can hear the solenoid working, but if it doesn't get pulled all the way back because the bendix is hitting something the starter motor will not get any power and that is exaclty what I'm experiencing...
I wonder if I can just use some very thin washers instead of ordering the shims????
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From: McKinney, TX.
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Well shims didn't work and I ended up using 3 together and it made no difference. I'm really thinking it has something to do with the solenoid not getting enough power to pull all the way in like it needs. I'm going to double check all of my wiring and put a meter on the ignition source set on min/max and record the voltage at the solenoid terminal to see if I'm getting too much voltage drop....
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Got it figured out. Turns out the ford ignition switch and all of the other safety interlock switches were giving me too much voltage drop at the starter solenoid. I ended up running a constant 12v source to the starter and ran the solenoid power straight from the ford solenoid. Confusing I know, but it works perfect now....
