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Now what? HELP!

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Re-reading this, it may be the soleniod... internally. But with all connected as you say you should still get an iggy light or ~something~ electron driven to react. Scott has a point about the digital volt meters, too: the silly things don't replace analog ones for "macro" circuitry very well.
 
Check the battery for real or jump from another vehicle. If battery is good has to be power somewhere.

You can always jump the starter solenoid to test it. ie direct jump from bat to the starter.

However my bet is battery is so low that you get nothing. No horn, no lights, no radio, etc.

Nice jumper cables are your friend. Well kind of.
 
Here is an odd one.

Main copper post of the sol WAS like this: (keep in mind 12v at the battery)

Copper Tab
Steel Lock washer
Steel Nut to hold tab & lock washer on.
Metal Battery wire
Steel Lock washer
Steel Nut to hold wire & lock washer on.

I took a test light and checked the copper post. 12v.
I took a test light & checked the tab on that same post & NADA.
I took it apart reversed the Steel lock wasker & copper tab, Fuel pump started ticky ticky. OK FINE BE THAT WAY.

Other problem is now the SOL goes click. Sounds like it is trying to push out but won't.
 
Hope you cleaned all those washers and terminals well, of course you did.

Now, take your jumper cables and go from batt to starter, just touch it good and see if it cranks. Ahh, car in nutral pls. If it cranks it is your solenoid that is the problem. If it does not the batt is suspect and needs more power, amps not volts.

I await your results with bated breath.

Jack
 
Battery is new (5 weeks old) and do have power to engage the sol. It is just not giving back and starting the car. I do not want to pull it out again but if I have to test I will. Ain't new starters 'spensive? Or can I just get a new SOL?
 
Starters are rebuildable. Sols are cheepish. Pull nothing out not necessary at this point.

New shmoo. The batt. has to have cranking power amps not volts. Will it turn the engine. Use your jumper cables and attach to power point on starter and touch to batt. terminal. Does it crank?? You will know right off.
 
But if the sol is bad won't it not start? My sol is attached to the starter I do not have a SOL on the firewall - separate starter config.
 
By pass the sol. hot to hot just to see if it cranks.

The shade tree way will tell you if bat and starter is good.

Oh, do you have bright head lights??
 
If all wires go to the sol, how can it be bypassed?
Yes I have bright headlights.
 
Ok then we assume the battery is good, bright lights = good.

Do you have jumper cables?

I am not a mgc kind of guy so this is all shade tree stuff and works on anything. Now where does the power go from the sol out side, is there another cable to the starter, yes no. or is the sol mounted on the starter?
 
Sol is mounted to the starter so there is not any other place for me to jump to.

The started is really really old and my have given up the ghost from handling it.
It like plumbimg, if it ain't broke don't touch it. If you need to replace any part of it, replace it all!
 
Ahh, ok, I understand now, this is modern stuff, hehe. Yep pull the starter and have it checked by a professional and rebuilt if necessary. Should not be any big bucks.

In fact I think autozone or one of those outfits says they can check starters while you wait.
 
[ QUOTE ]
or is the sol mounted on the starter?

[/ QUOTE ]

He has a later B starter. The solenoid to starter connection is internal, but the solenoid connection has an external lug.

Vince, if you can reach it, touch your jumper cable to the other lead on the solenoid (this will send current directly to the starter bypassing the solenoid). If it spins the starter, your solenoid is bad. If nothing happens, your starter is questionable.

ct_i25616.JPG
 
If I remove the wire to the starter & touch it to other terminal, will that work?


THIS IS A TEST.
detail

Still can't get this pic thing down.
 
hey I got that right but I still cannot post my photos that way. Lets not get away from the post though.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If I remove the wire to the starter & touch it to other terminal, will that work?


[/ QUOTE ]

Yep; just DO NOT SHORT THAT LEAD to ground while you're up there. The lead you are holding in your hand in tight confines has a couple hundred amps behind it.

If this were mine, I'd remove the starter and diagnose it on the bench/vise using a set of jumper cables from another vehicle. Two bolts and 10 minutes and its out. Not worth risking your B or your life.

Edit: you can also just short those two large terminals together to test the solenoid (with something VERY insulated, like a plastic handled srewdriver). If the starter spins, the problem is either the solenoid or the relay.
 
I'm heading out there right now. The reason for wanting to get it started is to see if the clutch works (see other thread).
I still did not bleed the brakes so testing the clutch might not be that great an idea.
At least I have all my power back and the sol is suspect.
 
Make sure it's out of gear!!!!
 
MAN!! I leave for a few minutes and you guys manage to run thru this problem like maniacs! Good job.
 
Hay, I missed some but was out in garage disassembling my last rear spring, no problems.

Think that if you go up the thread you will find we me an vping have a communication problem, lol.
 
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