Not your average starting issues. Help wanted!

[Cam-Shaft]

Hello everyone, hope you're enjoying driving your chevy as much as I am in this crisp New England weather.

Having an issue with the starter and/or starting on my truck.

If I go out in the morning it fires on the first revolution and stays running. However, after that initial start it is almost impossible as the starter kicks back and just spins without engaging. It gets worse and worse as the day goes on. For instance, I can get it going the first time after the initial start by holding the pedal down all the way and after a few tries the stater will stay engaged. The second time after I need to put it in 1st gear and turn it over until it starts (for some reason the pressure of the tranny on the starter keeps it engaged) but I know that can't be good for it. The third time I need to straight out push it to a hill and pop start it.

Funny thing is the next morning it will start first crank and run great.

Is my starter going or is the engine warming up to the point where it is firing just enough to kick the starter back before dying?

Thoughts/ideas? Can't wait to get this thing reliable again

[MY67GMC]

Are you getting correct voltage (12v) to the starter when if fails to engage the solenoid?

[Davidf]

Not sure from your description of the problem, but it sounds like the bendix in the starter is binding up. Simple and relative cheap to replace the starter and go from there. In fact, when I purchased my truck back in March, that is the first thing I did when I got it home was replace the starter for good measure. The one that came off seemed to work fine, but I wanted to start (no pun intended) with a known quantity.

[Ft.ValloniaStreaker]

It sounds like a timing issue....but the pedal has nothing to do with it. An easy fix would be to put a switch on your coil wire and get the motor turning full speed then hit the power to the coil. Big blocks are horrible about kicking back that's always my answer. If it's HEI use heavier wire.

[Zeke's Garage]

If it's just that the starter is not engaging, then you can probably get by with just swapping out the solenoid/bendix driver, and make sure you don't need some shimming to make engagement easier. The fact that it seems to fail after some 'heat-up' time makes this sound more like the issue to me.

If you're also having slow cranking after the engine is warm, then that could have to to with too much initial timing as well.. You can try to back it off a bit and see if it gets better.

Also, check ALL your main power connections and cables.. older wiring can oxidize under the insulation and you can't see it.

Good luck with it!

[Cam-Shaft]

Originally Posted by Davidf

Not sure from your description of the problem, but it sounds like the bendix in the starter is binding up. Simple and relative cheap to replace the starter and go from there. In fact, when I purchased my truck back in March, that is the first thing I did when I got it home was replace the starter for good measure. The one that came off seemed to work fine, but I wanted to start (no pun intended) with a known quantity.

I am tempted to do this, new parts never hurt anything but the wallet

Originally Posted by Ft.ValloniaStreaker

It sounds like a timing issue....but the pedal has nothing to do with it. An easy fix would be to put a switch on your coil wire and get the motor turning full speed then hit the power to the coil. Big blocks are horrible about kicking back that's always my answer. If it's HEI use heavier wire.

This is something that I have been suspecting! Great idea with disconnecting the hot wire from the coil, I had not thought to do that and will try it after work.

Originally Posted by Zeke's Garage

If it's just that the starter is not engaging, then you can probably get by with just swapping out the solenoid/bendix driver, and make sure you don't need some shimming to make engagement easier. The fact that it seems to fail after some 'heat-up' time makes this sound more like the issue to me.

If you're also having slow cranking after the engine is warm, then that could have to to with too much initial timing as well.. You can try to back it off a bit and see if it gets better.

Also, check ALL your main power connections and cables.. older wiring can oxidize under the insulation and you can't see it.

Good luck with it!

The starter engages but gets kicked back shortly afterwords. The wiring is old and crusty. Perhaps I should replace from the starter on up and see if that helps at all.

Originally Posted by MY67GMC

Are you getting correct voltage (12v) to the starter when if fails to engage the solenoid?

I will try this also, had not thought to see if the voltage is dropping when under load.




Thanks for the ideas everyone, should keep me busy for oh.. a couple of hours

[Davidf]

In the FWIW department: I once had a '73 BMW 2002 that I completely restored. Upon completion of the restoration, it would start easily when cold. But after warm-up it was very difficult to re-start. I tinkered with it for weeks and weeks trying to figure this one out. Replaced a lot of ignition components needlessly. Finally gave up and took it to an independent BMW service shop. No joy, they could not figure it out. Took to another shop and bingo, they figured it out. Turns out I connected the tach wires backwards...basically, I was shorting the ignition system to ground through the tach.

Maybe something similar is happening here. But, starter spinning and not engaging is a starter/bendix issue and has nothing to do with the engine not starting once the starter engages.

[cooperhw]

Might want to look at Mad Science web page. On the tech tips he covers this very same issue if I am not mistaken. His wiring for the underhood area takes care of most issues.
Actually it's "madelectrical.com" sorry. heck to get old and have C.R.S. disease.