QuestionQUESTION: I have a 1967 MGB which now clicks (solenoid?) when the key is turned but the starter motor does not engage. Battery seems fine - jumping did not help. Any tests I can run before ordering and installing a new starter motor? Thanks much.
ANSWER: Hi Mike,
You need to do voltage drop tests of the cables. If it is a clicking noise with a charged battery then you either have a bad cable connection, solenoid bad, starter bad or locked up engine. You need to do some testing before ordering all these items.
You need a volt meter to do the tests. Put the volt meter across the battery posts (not the cable ends)and hit the starter and read the volt meter. If you show more than 12v while the clicking is going on then set the voltmeter to a low volt scale and put the negative lead (black) on the negative post of the battery and the positive lead (red) on Battery connection on the starter solenoid and have someone hit the starter. You should read less than half a volt. Next connect the negative lead of the voltmeter to the starter cable on the solenoid and the positive lead on the starter post and hit the starter again, again you should see very little to no voltage. Next connect the negative lead to a metal part of the engine and the positive lead on the positive post of the battery and hit the starter again. You should as on all of these voltage drop tests read little to no voltage on a very low volt scale. Any voltage reading of over a half volt indicates a bad connection.
If on the first test of the battery voltage 12v+ reading, you seen the voltage drop when the starter was engaged, you need to put the car is 4th gear and see if you can roll the car a little (which turns the engine) This makes sure the engine is not locked up.
Next test take a jumper cable and attach one end of one cable to the solenoid and with the car in neutral and key off, scratch the other end of the jumper cable on the negative post of the battery. You should see sparks. Then touch the jumper cable hard on to the negative post just for a second (no longer) The starter should spin the engine a little. This tests the starter and the solenoid. If the starter does spin the engine then the solenoid is at fault, if it does not then the starter is at fault. (This is only true if you did ALL of the first drop tests correctly)
Be sure you have the battery cables connected correctly. Positive post to ground and Negative post is the hot cable that goes to the solenoid.
Let me know,
Howard
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Well, I was checking out this problem as you suggested and am concerned that possibly the engine is seized but that is hard for me to accept. The day it failed, I started it and backed it out of the garage about 15 feet w/o problem except for the fairly frequent need to have to initiate the starter several times. Several hours later I went to return it to the garage (no other driving) and it wouldn't do anything except click. Today I wasn't able to turn over the engine per your directions. So I put it into 4th and tried pushing it and could not. So I had my wife gently tow it backward for less than a foot and the engine still didn't turn (I was watching the crank pulley). Is it really possible that the engine could seize while backing it out of the garage and later pulling it in? It does have oil in it and has always run great. Appreciate your feedback.
AnswerTry this, as it may be a starter bendix to ring gear problem. Remove all the spark plugs and put it in 4th gear and have someone help you rock the car forward and back very hard. If that don't brake it loose loosen the two bolts holding the starter on and do it again. Note there is a square end on the starter shaft sticking out of the end of the starter. Put a wrench on the square and try to rotate the starter shaft. If it rotates freely and the motor is still locked up, Then the motor is locked up.
Howard
