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72 chevy starter

2K views 9 replies 3 participants last post by  skbackdoc 
#1 ·
Already put this in my intro... sorry
I have a 72 chevy truck 383 stroker with hooker headers.
Started perfectly until last week. Now the starter just spins and grinds... sounds like when you engage the starter with the motor running except the motor is not running. Tried a new battery .. did not help. It is a gear reduction starter with about 1000 miles on it. I pulled the starter and the ring gear looks fine and so does the gear on the starter. It did start once perfectly since this all started but not since.
Any thoughts ?
Thanks
 
#3 ·
weak solenoid

Doc here::pimp:

Check your solenoid, sounds like it's weak or failing or has some loose connections.

Another thing that could hang it up is the clutch assembly or plunger may be sticking on the shaft before it mates with the ring gear..try a little grease.

The Clutch unit itself may also be bad, causing the drive gear to slip.

Doc :pimp:
 
#4 ·
Thanks

Great tips. Thanks.
Found the problem.
Low votage on the switch wire from the key to the solonoid. Not enough juice to engage gear.
Cheap fix just hard to diagnose.
Thanks
Backdoc
 
#6 ·
72 chevy starter... again

RATS !
Problem not solved.
Worked three times with the jumper wire to the battery then nothing.
But... if you rap the starter and solonoid with a ratchet it works.
At least I got it out of our garage and into the shop for the winter... wife was getting ticked that she had to scrape windows while my baby took up space.
Time to take it apart in the shop.

Bad solonoid or starter drive ?
Questions.. comments welcome.
It is a gear reduction stater only 2 months old and purchased at a local performance shop with a good ring gear.

Backdoc
 
#7 ·
Starter

Doc here:pimp:

Sounds like the Starter drive or solenoid is hanging up on the shaft in mid travel...

The solenoid is cheap enough to replace, so you just might want to do that anyway.

The Drive , you might want to inspect the shaft for burrs, burn marks, anything that might hang the drive up.

Be sure all your cabling is good, both power and ground, and that ground cable is close to the starter...make sure your cable connections at the battery are clean, and tight...look to see if corrosion has not traveled up inside the cables (under the insulation) if so REPLACE them.

BE SURE you have a proper charge on your battery, with a charger...An alternator IS NOT going to do it from dead...you'll get 1 or 2 starts then it will die off...

When you reinstall the starter be sure you have proper shims.

Doc :pimp:
 
#8 ·
Thanks

Thanks doc

I will check all of those.
The battery has been charged and I have even tried the one from another vehicle...same problem.
Will grease on the starter drive attract dirt and make the problem worse ?

Thanks for the help.

Backdoc
 
#10 ·
shims ?

Still no go !
If I loosen the starter then tighten it again it wil go once or twice then grinds a few times, turning the engine a bit, then just spins.
Could something have shifted inside... As I have said before, it started perfectly then one morning this all started.
????????????????

Backdoc
 
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