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The tale of the another 350 chevy

2K views 18 replies 4 participants last post by  zipfactor 
#1 ·
Hey all,

Here is my dillema: Some of you may know of the starter issues id been having with my 350 chevy. Well i replaced the starter not too long ago with one from a local junkyard, and finally got that to work. The only thing that I have changed on that motor was some of the underhood wiring, because it was hooked up incorrectly (alternator wires were hooked to some kind of connector). Anyways, I hadn't started it before, just turned it over, because my uncle had his old cutlass behind me and i didnt want to blow dust everywhere. Well today I started it, and as soon as it started, it began making this whinning noise. Before i put this new starter in the engine sounded good and healthy. And from my knowledge rewiring something wouldn't cause the noise im hearing. So basically I wanted some opinions as to what it is. I was thinking maybe the bendix is bad on the starter causing it to stick to the flywheel? I couldnt get it to run long enough to locate where the sound was coming from. Thanks all.
 
#5 ·
i just thought about it and realized maybe i have it shimmed too tight to the flywheel causing it to not disengage when it starts. I started it without power to the distributor and it disengages, but i think it doesnt when i go to start it with power to the distributor.
 
#11 ·
zipfactor said:
yeah it did quit whinning, but i was thinking that maybe it was different when the engine fires, because it spins quicker and may not have enough time to get loose *shrugs*
Nope, I dont think so.

The wire that goes to the "s" (inside small terminal) on the starter. Is it easy to get disconnected while the vehicle is running?

You only have two wires going to the starter? The main battery cable and the smaller one going to the above mentioned terminal.

Keep in mind, you need to get this fixed asap. That starter is NOT going to last long. Don't run the engine long.

Rich
 
#12 ·
yeah i have the small 12 gauge wire going to the "s" terminal, and the positive battery wire going to the big post on the starter. I'm not sure how whether the distributor wire being hooked up or not affects if the starter keeps spinning, but im not the most knowledgable about car wiring either. What i did the other day was changed some of the underhood wiring. I was checking all my wiring out to make sure it was good (no frayed wires , etc.) and noticed that a wire from the alternator, the sensing wire, was hooked up to a connector. According to the wire diagram i have (out of a haynes manual) it shows that the sensing wire should be hooked up to one of the main feeds to the alternator. So i hooked it up to that. *shrugs* so you dont think its a shimming issue then? thanks for all your responses
 
#16 · (Edited)
Zip,

I have no idea what you are talking about now. You have lost me.

I thought the "whine" was when the vehicle was running?

Now it sounds like it is doing it when you are cranking. Which is it?

Unhooking the battery wire to the distributor cant possibly do anything to effect if the starter whines or not during cranking.

I just looked at your previous post and you said "I started it without power to the distributor and it disengages".

How do you know if disengages? The car cant even start with the distributor wire unhooked.
 
#17 ·
sorry about the confusion. Yes, the whinning noise is only when the car is running. The whine doesnt occur during cranking (when the distributor power is unhooked). I know it disengages when im cranking it (without distributor power) because i can hear it disengage, and i go under the car after cranking it and the starter gear is back inside the starter case.

Thanks for your help and patience.
 
#18 ·
zipfactor said:
sorry about the confusion. Yes, the whinning noise is only when the car is running. The whine doesnt occur during cranking (when the distributor power is unhooked). I know it disengages when im cranking it (without distributor power) because i can hear it disengage, and i go under the car after cranking it and the starter gear is back inside the starter case.

Thanks for your help and patience.
You say you know it disengages when you are cranking it? It shouldnt disengage when you crank it. It should only disengage after you stop cranking it. And since you dont have the distributor power running on it how would you know?

Try doing all this with your alternator hooked up. Your wiring is obviously hosed.

Rich
 
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