intermitent starting

[macdodd]

Good morning all,,,,,I'm having a starting problem with my '69 chevy c-10. its a 350/305 heads. When first starting in the morning,,when its cold, it starts. After driving it,,even if I let it set for awhile,,,it sometimes won't start,,,just clicks the starter. I've replaced starter cables/wires,,,even rerouted some of the wires so as not to touch the headers. Now if I have my wife hold the ignition clear over in the 'start' position and jump the starter,,,boom,,,it kicks the solenoid and it starts. I've got another ignition switch which I'm gonna install and see if thats it. I'd had a problem with the headlights and thought it might be the ignition switch,,,so installed a new one. My mechanic says the if the wire from the igniton switch to the starter got fryed,,,which it did and we changed it,,,that might have affected the switch. Seems like a wire is getting hot and stretching out,,,then cooling, which lets it start. Any suggestions?

[haysonj]

Usually that problem is in the solinoid, I put a heat shield on my starter and solved the problem. some people put ford solinoids up on the inner fender

[70sLover]

Had a similar problem, a buddy kept telling me it was the battery cables even though they had been replaced recently and checked out. Replaced the solenoid and problem went away.

It's possible it could be the ignition switch.

Also this may seem like common sense, but make sure your battery tests out and is OEM rated for your truck. My trucks' previous owner had an old underrated car battery in there, that had a dead cell. Was causing several intermittent electrical issues. Also check for battery drain with a test light.

[C10forDad]

Neutral safety switch? I have had this go bad on another vehicle and it is frustrating to deal with. One minute you think it is the battery, get a jump and it works. Next time, the jump doesn't work or maybe it does. Go out and buy a new battery and find out that didn't fix the problem.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by C10forDad

Neutral safety switch? I have had this go bad on another vehicle and it is frustrating to deal with. One minute you think it is the battery, get a jump and it works. Next time, the jump doesn't work or maybe it does. Go out and buy a new battery and find out that didn't fix the problem.

If the solenoid clicks as it pulls the starter pinion to engage the ring gear but the starter does not crank it can not be the neutral safety switch at fault. Look further for a weak battery,high resistance in the battery cables or a bad battery ground.

[franken]

The solenoid runs off the small wire off the + side of the battery through 4 wiring harnesses, the ignition switch, the NSS and then through the big ground cable back to the battery. Somewhere in all that you have resistive connections.
I'd probably get a bit of wire and jump between the red and purple wires at the firewall connector under the hood. If that works, then its in the cab.
I'd ask for voltage measurements but no one takes them.

[C10forDad]

Originally Posted by Fitz

If the solenoid clicks as it pulls the starter pinion to engage the ring gear but the starter does not crank it can not be the neutral safety switch at fault. Look further for a weak battery,high resistance in the battery cables or a bad battery ground.

Thanks Fitz. I am still learning.

[macdodd]

Ok,,,,tried the things listed above in the posts,,,,NOT,,,lol. Still just clicks,,,when I hit the ignition switch to start it,,,the voltage gauge goes from 12.5 or 7 down to 6,,,let go of it,,,,back up to 12.6/7. I even let it build up to 14v with a charger,,,still wouldn't kick the starter in,,,,

[franken]

Measure the voltage across the battery before trying to start and while trying to start.
If you tried the above, what happened when you jumped the red to purple?

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by C10forDad

Thanks Fitz. I am still learning.

After 50 years of playing with cars, so am I.

[VetteVet]

Blowing my own horn here.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=655903

[macdodd]

I took a reading of the battery,,,,12.8,,,,when trying to start it,,,it clicks and goes down to 11.4. Haven't tried crossing the red/purple wire yet.

[haysonj]

I have also seen the copper contacts in the solinoid so burned from arcing that it doesn't get enough power to turn the starter motor. Clean them with a little emory cloth or buy another solinoid

[1-PU70]

Had the same problem with mine. Switched to a Ford solenoid and problem solved. Back in the day that was a common repair for 350's with headers. Good luck.

[macdodd]

The starter is only 2wks old, heavy duty from NAPA, after putting it on,,discovered the single wire from it had touched the header, so replaced it and rerouted it. Could that have messed up the solenoid?

[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by macdodd

The starter is only 2wks old, heavy duty from NAPA, after putting it on,,discovered the single wire from it had touched the header, so replaced it and rerouted it. Could that have messed up the solenoid?

Did you read my link in post 11.

[macdodd]

Yep,,,,read it and logged it in my "truck" folder,,,,,thanks

[macdodd]

Ok,,,,heres an update,,,,,I went to NAPA,,,TWICE,,,got two duty starters,,,,both wouldn't work right(reconditioned). Luckly,,,my mechanic had a starter off of a 454 Cadillac engine,,,,wala,,,starts fine. Got my money refunded,,,no problem. Both starter gears wouldn't turn until the gear was fully out,,,,which meant that the gear would just hit the flywheel and not engage. If the gear wasn't lined up just right with the flywheel,,,,no start. So far ,,,,so good,,,,,thanks to all for all the input,,,,Bill