QuestionHey Dick,
First off I would like to thank you for your help in the past. It has been very helpful and I appreciate it very much. Ok, now on to my question.
I have a 1964 impala ss, 327, automatic trans. I recently purchased the vehicle and the car ran fine, but started really rough. Something didn't sound right. i don't know if the starter was shimmed properly or not, but anyway. I had backed it out of the garaged, washed it, and went to bring it back in and it wouldn't start. It cranked but wouldn't start, then i climbed under the car and noticed the starter nose was cracked. ok...replaced the starter and broke the nose again. i checked everything i could think off... mainly that i had used the right starter, had the right bolts, shimmed properly, i checked the flexplate for roundness as best i could, checked teeth, number of teeth, turned the engine over by hand to see if it was locked, etc. and everything seemed to check out. So, I got a third starter and have that installed currently. Now when i try and start it, it turns over for a BRIEF second, then stops and all i get is rapid starter clicking. I pulled all the spark plugs and turned the key, and the motor does spin. I pulled a plug at each cylinder, one at a time, and tried starting and I would get the same response as if they were all in. If i turn the headlights on and try and start it, they go really dim. i have charged the battery. I did check the voltage at the starter and it seemed to check (the ignition was just on, i wasn't trying to crank and check). To me, it seems like I am not getting enough power to the starter. The cables seem to be in ok condition. I also pulled the battery ground and cleaned the connection on the block, but nothing seemed to help. Do you have any other ideas? i think i may pull the battery and have it tested just to make sure, or get a new one. What other checks should i try? I do have access to a voltmeter. Can i pull fuses and try and start it? I'm not very good with electrical so if you have checks i can go through with the volmeter, please explain in detail what wires i should hook where and what voltage i should be reading. Thanks again, i really appreciate it.
Mike
AnswerFirst, I have to apologize for being slow to respond - we had a family problem that kept me off the computer for a few days.
It sounds to me like you have two problems. One is the starter fit to the engine - perhaps that is fixed now if it sounds OK when you crank it with the plugs out.
The second is electrical - I think you probably have a bad cable or connection, but it might be the battery itself.
If you have a replacement end (clamp on repair type) on either of your cables, throw that cable away and replace it with a new one. It appears you have checked all the connection points, but if there is any chance you have missed something, go over them again. The battery negative cable connection to the block must be clean, bright, shiny bare metal - no paint, no grease, no dirt - nothing!
The battery posts must be clean and shiny also, and the same goes for the insides of the battery cable ends where they slip over the posts. If you do not have a battery post cleaning tool, get one! Posts and cable ends can look perfect, but have a thin transparent coating of oxide on them and they will not conduct the high current a starter demands, although they will check out fine the way you checked them. The hint that this is what is going on is your statement that the lights dimmed when you tried the starter.
If you do all this cleaning and checking, and still have the problem, borrow a known good battery from another vehicle and try that.
Beyond that, I think you have done everything I would do- let me know if you find the problem, or if you don't!
Dick
