Starter Slow on 1275

[jaegzie]

I am working on putting a 1275 into my 59 bugeye.

Engine - 69 Midget
Wiring 63 Sprite
Body 59 Bugeye

The problem I am having is that the starter turns the engine over very slow.

Things I have tried:

1. Different Starter Result: No Change
2. Had the pull type starter switch in it when I was making a wiring harness: Switched to the 63 wiring harness with all the attachments. Results: Still Slow
3. Battery, tried a different one of a 69 sprite. Result no change
4. Cleaned all connections: Result no change
5. Tried running power directly to the starter from battery, Result No change

The thing someone suggested in the AH section was that the timing might be too far advanced. I havent checked it but the car ran and I dont see how it could have come out of time this quickly.

The engine was in my 69 sprite and ran for about two years after i stripped it out of the midget. Engine fired right up no problems. Took the engine out put it in the bugeye, did not work on it for about 2 years. I started working on the wiring and this is happening. Worst case scenario this engine will go into my 69 midget and see what happens there.

Any suggestions let me know please before i end up pulling both motors. TIA

 

[Trevor Jessie]

You ran a ground wire and positive lead directly to the starter? and it cranked slow?

Have you tried jump starting it from a running car?

 

[jlaird]

You have electrical problems of some sort. I agree try ground. Try jumper cables direct to the starter from a fresh battery.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

The other possibility... mentioned before elsewhere. In the two years that the engine sat... something may be stuck or at least gummed up.

 

[jlaird]

You know you could pull the plugs and try it.

 

[Billm]

Trev's first comment about the ground wire cannot be over-emphasized! Run both of your jumpers from the engine block to the ground on the battery and try again (using the normal power wire to the starter).This simulates a good ground wire which I will bet you don't have, even if it is hooked up correctly.
This has bitten many,many of us many times!!

Bill

 

[Bayless]

Sure sounds like you forgot the engine to body ground strap.

 

[JPSmit]

In your first post - the one that got hacked, you mentioned that it spun better when the plugs were removed. This makes me think that it is not electrical but the engine. You also mentioned that you had a few starters to choose from and it was happening with all.

I'm no expert (so anyone chime in) but you should be able to bench test your starter to see if it is working.

you should also be able (with a meter) to see if there is power to the starter.

If the starter works and there is power, a cable to the frame will ground it - eliminating or confirming the ground as an issue.

If you have current/ a working starter and a good ground and it is still slow, then you need to be looking inside. Are the rings too tight? is a valve not opening - at this moment my experience deserts me so others can offer ideas, but, you should be able to eliminate a number of variables fairly easily.

good luck!

 

[nomad]

I encountered something similiar on a MGA that had sat for a long time. Though a couple years is'nt that long I'd pull the plugs and squirt a shot of oil into each cylinder. Could'nt hurt and is really what you should do with any engine that has sat.
Best of luck! KA

 

[jaegzie]

Thank you all for the replies, I am going to go through again and check it all over, make sure everything is really cleaned up really well and go from there. I did squirt some oil into the cylinders right away, but I am going to play with the wiring some more, then look into going through the starter and other things.

Im new on here also but why did my original post get deleted? anyone know or can i look somewhere to find out so i dont do it again.

 

[jaegzie]

Got it I read the hacked post on the sticky posts. so nevermind on the deleted thread question.