Two starters still won"t crank!!!

**kensz28** · 08-12-2009, 04:41 PM

O.K. here's the deal. My 95 roadmaster recently began doing something that has me baffled. A while back it began clicking like the battery was dead. I tried the typical jump start and eventually replaced the battery. Well it didn't help. I found the problem after my friend said it was a ground. The crimp on the negative cable was bad and I replaced the cable. I also replaced the cable from the battery to the starter. 1GA. It is overkill to say the least. Well now it's back to the clicking thing and I have double checked every single thing I can think of. I replaced the starter with a 3hp mini race starter that will fire a 15:1 motor. What it does is begin to start then stop and the bendix gets hung in the flexplate and it slowly clicks and you can see the engine barely moving. I put the race unit on and same thing. Shims, no shims, offset shims on each starter. Back and forth. I have no idea what to do. I am a very competent mechanic doing everything from head replacements on front wheel drive crap to tranny replacements on toyota tundras. I have built several cars and engines and I can't for my life figure out the problem here. It acts like once the starter engages it begins to loose the power to start the car. The bendix isn't really jammed it just stops turning. I tried a fully charged battery and even used the 75A boost setting on my charger to no avail. It starts once and will not restart. Then does the clicking thing all over again. Please any ideas?????????

**JaycenK** · 08-13-2009, 09:18 AM

Did you meter the trigger wire that actually engages the starter? you could bypass it to test it. run a wire from the trigger probe on the starter and then connect it to the batery with a momentary switch. press the switch and see if you have the same problem. Did you replace the positive cable running to the starter or just the negitive battery cable?

**kensz28** · 08-13-2009, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by JaycenK

Did you meter the trigger wire that actually engages the starter? you could bypass it to test it. run a wire from the trigger probe on the starter and then connect it to the batery with a momentary switch. press the switch and see if you have the same problem. Did you replace the positive cable running to the starter or just the negitive battery cable?

The cable from the neg to the block is secure. It has a new brass terminal that is soldered in place. Then I replaced the cable from the battery to the starter with a 1 gauge that is the size of my thumb. Both ends are brass and soldered in place.

**bigrondownhiller** · 08-13-2009, 03:00 PM

Does it do this when you first start it in the morning?

**JaycenK** · 08-13-2009, 08:10 PM

I would try by passing the trigger. If it still does it and the engine isn't lockup then I'm not sure other than replace the negitive cable and make sure the contact area of the starter and the block are clean and the bolt threds are clean. It does sound like a bad ground.

**kensz28** · 08-14-2009, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by JaycenK

I would try by passing the trigger. If it still does it and the engine isn't lockup then I'm not sure other than replace the negitive cable and make sure the contact area of the starter and the block are clean and the bolt threds are clean. It does sound like a bad ground.

What I think too. Just not sure which one. It did this after driving errands one day and I haven't messed with it in a while. The motor aint locked up. I got it to start and drove it home but it will not do it again. Same deal, half-way turns over then starter bogs down. I will look at all grounds. I know there is one on back of engine to firewall and battery ground and maybe one more.