Solenoid?

[weq92f]

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Lately when I go to start the truck cold I'm getting an abnormality......I'll hear a distinct click right before the starter turns the engine over. It will do this on cold start maybe 50% of the time now. Click then start with maybe half a second to a second delay.

Warm/Hot/after-heat-soak starts are 60%/80%/100% of the time respectively. The severity of the delay between "click" and rotate becomes much larger as the warm/hot/soak cycle continues. Sometimes, it will just click and do nothing else...others it will click and I'll hold the key over waiting...then it will start some time later. That amount of time varies from a second to 5 seconds.

If it doesn't start after a delay while holding the key over to Start, a few quick click/off, click/off, click/off cycles seems to make it rethink its strategy and it will start.

What are your thoughts: Solenoid? Wiring? Starter motor?

It's a mini, high torque starter that I did not install even though I've had it off a number of times. Do these things typically have a serviceable solenoid?

Anything else I might look at here? Never had issues with starter or solenoid before.

Thanks,

-Kevin

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Sounds like you're on the right topic there
Are you running headers?

[mr48chev]

I've taken a lot of Delco solenoids apart over the years and cleaned up the contacts inside and usually rotated the stud that the battery cable fastens to to have a clean contact spot. On the other hand I have no idea if you can pull the solenoid off the aftermarket mini starter and do the same thing.

[franken]

I'm thinking pitted solenoid contacts as well.

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I've taken a lot of Delco solenoids apart over the years and cleaned up the contacts inside and usually rotated the stud that the battery cable fastens to to have a clean contact spot. On the other hand I have no idea if you can pull the solenoid off the aftermarket mini starter and do the same thing.

I was wondering the same thing. Mini starter is preferable for avoiding heat-soak, especially with headers, but when it starts to go, is it serviceable or disposable

[weq92f]

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OK good. I just need to pull it off and get it on the bench then.

Yes...running headers...no shield either Headers were installed 2018 so if that's the culprit, it took a while.

I ~may~ have the receipt for the starter which could lead me to something useful.

Thanks Gents!

-Kevin

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Originally Posted by weq92f

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OK good. I just need to pull it off and get it on the bench then.

Yes...running headers...no shield either Headers were installed 2018 so if that's the culprit, it took a while.

I ~may~ have the receipt for the starter which could lead me to something useful.

Thanks Gents!

-Kevin

Right. With a full-sized starter you know you want a heat shield. With a mini, it's a question mark whether the heat still got to it but slower, or it just picked up some gunk, or...
more adventures in forensic restoration ;-)

[LockDoc]

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I'm no electrical guru but it may also be the ignition switch. Before you get too deep into it I would get a hand held remote starter button and hook it directly to the solenoid and see what it does. That would tell you for sure if it was the solenoid or not. Just a thought....

[weq92f]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

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I'm no electrical guru but it may also be the ignition switch. Before you get too deep into it I would get a hand held remote starter button and hook it directly to the solenoid and see what it does. That would tell you for sure if it was the solenoid or not. Just a thought....

.

Agreed. I've been having other issues that are suspiciously starting to look related to this one. Must be cautious...don't wanna throw parts at it.

I may rig a remote starter and try it when the ignition switch can't do it.

Thanks,

-Kevin

[RichardJ]

You're getting the "Click".
On a Delco solenoid it takes 40 Amps to get that "Click". Getting the "Click' immediately, irregardless of what happens afterwards, tells me the Ignition switch is doing what it is supposed to.
I probably should have added, that instantaneously after the "Click", the solenoid only draws 10 Amps while the starter is spinning.

[franken]

A voltage measurement from the S-terminal to the block or starter case (w/ the key in the start position) would be interesting.

[weq92f]

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Finally got back to this today.

After quite a bit of R&R swapping solenoids and starter motors with known good parts and adding a lone-wolf-2000 remote starter lead, the problem was traced down to the ignition switch.

When the thing just clicks w/no-start, we find 9-10 volts on the S terminal from the switch, the remote lead to the solenoid S terminal turns the engine just fine. I found a terminal on the ignition switch that was loose...loose inside the switch, not the connector and so all my attached ACC and IGN leads coming off the back of the switch are intermittently receiving less than 12v....which explains some other issues.

Gonna be replacing the switch soon.

-Kevin