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My starter is misbehaving.


Tdh

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So here’s a weird one.  I’ve got relatively new starter (the one Blunt sells) on my car.  Installed it about a year ago I guess.   The car had been sitting for a month or so without being cranked, so I thought I’d take it for a spin on Saturday.  Like many of us, my car suffers from the “gas drains back to the tank” issue when it sits, so it takes a few tries to get it to start when its been sitting.  The first turn of the key, the starter functioned normally, but the car didn’t fire up (typical).  The second turn of the key is where the weirdness comes in.  The starter spun very slowly.  I turned off the ignition, but the starter kept trying to turn the engine over, but again very slowly.  I popped the hood, and pulled the grounding strap off the negative battery terminal, and I heard the starter solenoid disengage (and the starter stopped spinning). 

 

I was able to reproduce this three more times, meaning that the next three tries I could turn the key, starter would spin slowly, I could turn off the ignition and remove the key, starter would continue to spin slowly until I removed the ground from the negative battery terminal at which time I could hear the starter solenoid disengage and the starter would stop.  After charging the battery, the car starts normally now. 

 

The battery was obviously in a discharged state, but the fact that the solenoid was still energized after I turned off the ignition and pulled the key seems strange. 

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It sounds to me, the starter motor gear shaft is galled, rusty or dry.  it could also be the bushings are worn.  Either case it sounds like a new starter is recommended.  What is the amperage draw while the starter is cranking the engine?  Check your grounds and battery cables for corrosion.

Edited by Schnellvintage
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If the solenoid disengages the gear when the battery ground is removed, then the starter is not stuck, electrical power is keeping it engaged.

A radiator shop is a good place to take a leak.

 

I have no idea what I'm doing but I know I'm really good at it.

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18 minutes ago, jimk said:

If the solenoid disengages the gear when the battery ground is removed, then the starter is not stuck, electrical power is keeping it engaged.

Jim,

 

Agreed, and that's whats perplexing to me.  Seems to me that I must have an issue with the solenoid, or some stray voltage somehow.  

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OK, I thought I had it, but maybe not. So if the solenoid/gear is stuck on the shaft or flywheel, it still keeps the main motor supply connected even if solenoid juice is cut off? To jimk's point, perhaps disconnecting battery, and hence feed to motor, takes the load/tension off the gear and lets it pop free into resting mode. A head scratchier. Charge the battery and report back!

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9 minutes ago, Schnellvintage said:

If you disconnect the ground while the starter is engaged, it will release the pressure from the gears, in turn allowing the spring the return the starter gear and release the solenoid and connection to the starter motor.


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The solenoid is a switch, which completes a circuit.  If the positive lead from the starter relay is cut (removing the key) In what way would pressure on the ring gear from the energized starter motor keep the solenoid engaged?  Sorry, but I'm not following you.  

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