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Novice seeking advice on starting problem

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Hey guys. I finally got around to taking a look at the car. Penny has a 1098 motor and I'm using the later electric solenoid, which was pictured earlier. I used a continuity tester to test the solenoid. When the igntition is turned to on, the points make contact and there's a current across the solenoid. It turns out this was the component that was making the 'click' noise. I then tried to test for voltage after the solenoid and before the starter. I didn't get voltage in either spots but I think my meter might be out of batteries... I'm going to put some new batteries in and give it another go.
 
Update: Checked and found voltage right before the starter. I removed the starter and took it to the auto parts store to be checked. It works... I reinstalled it and Penny fired right up... Is it possible for a starter that's going bad to start inconsistantly?
 
Or it may have been stuck.
 
If it does it again, try turning the little square ended shaft a bit. That may do the trick!
 
If it's like the ones I'm familiar with, from earlier Sprites, the starting motor has a strange set of brushes and commutator. It's entirely likely that this is intermittent, maybe due for brush replacement and commutator cleaning. Remember, you're dealing with very high currents in a starter, which means low resistances, so even a small resistance in any contact looks pretty much like an open circuit. So, the brushes and all connections have to be in pretty good condition.
 
New starters are $45 at you friendly parts store. 1964 Plymouth Duster if I remember correctly.
 
Ehhh, Jack, why not ask for a starter for an MG midget?
 
Ok, however that presumes that they know what an MG is, hehe.
 
Thanks for the responses guys. Penny has a 1098 from a later Sprite, but as far as I can tell, all sprigets use the same starter. (At least that's what Moss Motors's catalog says.)

jlaird, I can use a duster starter for $45? That's a lot better than $130 from Moss!

I agree with the MG comment too. When I had my starter tested the counter guy asked for the year and make -

Me: "1960 Austin Healey Sprite."
Counter guy: "Is it a 1000 or 3000?"
Me: Neither, it's a Sprite."
Counter guy: "No it's not. You can pick 1000 or 3000."
Me: "This is gonna to take a while..." HAHA!
 
I think you will find that the duster uses the same starter.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Ok, however that presumes that they know what an MG is, hehe.[/QUOTE]
So true! Last time I needed something for an older car was a 6 volt electric fuel pump i wanted to put on a '48 Packard to eliminate vapor locking. The parts guy (NAPA, no less) insisted on knowing the make and model. I told him '48 Packard Custom 8. His response was, "Is that made by Chrysler?"
 
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