Chevrolet Repair: electrical, bendix, 1977 corvette

Question
Hi Van,
I have a 1977 corvette with a 350 4 speed.
I bought the car about a year ago.
Ever since, if I don't start the car for aproximatly a week, the battery goes dead. If you recharge it, it will hold the charge for a week. I put a new battery in but the same occures.
Once or twice I hand to "tap" the starter (bendix)
because it hangs up when I tried to start the car on a week battery, when this happened, it caused a direct short, so I have to disconnect the batt.
charge it, tap the starter, reinstall the battery, then were off and running. Do you think the starter / bendix when it's not hung up, can still be causing a small draw? I do have a new starter but wanted to try the battery idea first.
Also, when you reconnect the battery, you can hear the relay kick in that's hidden under the shift consol. Any information / advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm pretty handy, however not in your leauge, but I'd like to give this a shot, so any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Bob


Answer
Hi Bob,
The starter is not your problem. You found your problem already.
No, not the bendix, and not even the solenoid, which is on the starter. The solenoid needs 12 volts to pull in and engage the bendix, which it is doing, but moreso, to pull in hard enough to make good contact at the large terminals inside, and crank the engine.
Yours is sounding like it is trying to work on 10 volts or so, and try as it may, can't get the job done with the low voltage.
But your statement about the relay tells all. If there is a relay that is staying energized all the time, that relay is drawing as much juice as a small light bulb, and over a week will drain a new battery.
I would bet that if you unhook the battery, it would easily crank the car after a week when reconnected.
Likewise, the relay. If you unhook it for the week, but leave the battery connected, it will probably start.
I would be looking for the cause of the relay staying on.

Good luck,
Van