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BigRedGrizzly

1970 GT14 Resto

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BigRedGrizzly
19 hours ago, ztnoo said:

2tu.gif

Check the specific gravity of your battery.

It may not be charging well or holding a charge for long.

Got to have enough amps available to spin the resource absorbing starter.

Ok. I didn't check the specific gravity but the battery is charged to 12.57. 

I came home from work and cleaned where the starter mounts to the engine with a wire brush. Also cleaned the back of the starter. I mounted the starter and tried to jump it directly off the battery using jumper cables. Nothing. See the vid. 

 

So, I disconnected the starter from the engine again and tried it. It WORKED!

 

So.. I'm lost. I painted everything so I wonder if I insulated a ground somewhere. Could it be that the engine sitting on the newly painted frame? I don't think so.  I'm anxiously awaiting advice.

Thanks guys. 

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Aldon

Yes.

 

It could be that. Use some aggressive star washers on one corner of the engine mounting. 

 

You have proven you have ground issue.

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ztnoo

10-4 on an insufficient ground.

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roadapples

I use star washers and dielectric grease on all grounds...

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BigRedGrizzly
31 minutes ago, roadapples said:

I use star washers and dielectric grease on all grounds...

Ok... Great advice, all. If I understand the concept, the sharp edges of the star washer will pierce the paint and make direct contact with the frame. I guess I can do my best to scratch some of the frame paint off where the motor mounts to the frame as well as a star washer. I hope this  does the trick. 

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tbarnhart

Just a comment on the "hammer trick". Yes, it does sometimes work to jar on the starter a bit to get worn/sticking brushes to contact the armature and get it going. It really fixes nothing, just temporarily gets the thing cranked. It's also a really bad idea on a permanent magnet motor like the Kohler starter. If you break one of the magnets, you've basically ruined the starter beyond economical repair. Older automotive starters didn't have permanent magnets in them and could tolerate a bit of banging, but a lot of the newer ones do. That's a trick that is best used only as a last resort. Kinda like the little proverb that we often quote around our shop-"You can't ruin a rotten egg". Once its truly rotten, not much can make it worse, but until then, consider well if you may be doing more harm than good.

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RubyCon1

try using your jumper cables test again, but instead of attaching the negative jumper to the hood support, connect it to one of the engine head bolts.

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953 nut
12 hours ago, BigRedGrizzly said:

I painted everything so I wonder if I insulated a ground somewhere. Could it be that the engine sitting on the newly painted frame?

Move the ground cable to one of the starter bolts.

On 8/28/2016 at 7:03 PM, 953 nut said:

Have you tried moving the ground cable coming from the battery negative to one of the starter bolts?

 

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oldredrider

Moving the ground to a starter bolt is fine. But you will still need a ground to frame for lights and such to work. Maybe run an extra ground wire from frame ground to starter bolt.

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BigRedGrizzly
11 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Move the ground cable to one of the starter bolts.

 

Ok guys. The the ground at the engine head bolt. No dice. 

 

Next test. Ground to motor mount bolt... DICE!!

 

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Tuneup

Hooray! Very odd that the head bolt would be different than the case bolt. It's the same chunk of cast iron. A cheap DMM would have isolated it more quickly. Disconnected battery and negative terminal to the starter body. Even the Harbor Freight cheapy DMM would work for you. If, after the star washer treatment, the starter is still intermittent, take it apart and give it a cleaning and brush inspection. I had to do this on mine and am glad I did. It was already missing a tooth and part of another so a cheap fix for that. Oh, the regulator gave out so that one you found on eBay has so far been just fine.

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953 nut

:handgestures-thumbupright:  Getting closer! The problem you ( and lots of others ) have run into is that paint is not a good electrical conductor. You have done a great job painting everything, but paid the price when it came to electrical connections. I was a bit surprised the head bolt didn't work as well.

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BigRedGrizzly
24 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

:handgestures-thumbupright:  Getting closer! The problem you ( and lots of others ) have run into is that paint is not a good electrical conductor. You have done a great job painting everything, but paid the price when it came to electrical connections. I was a bit surprised the head bolt didn't work as well.

Alright fellas... Another test. I put the star washers under the engine.  See the result in the vid.  So, should I Just run a ground from the motor mount bolt to the starter mount bolt?

 

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ztnoo

What do you have to lose trying that idea, but your time???

dont know.gif

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BigRedGrizzly

Ok. So I tried this... It didn't work either..

16 gauge wire ground from motor mount bolt to starter bolt. 

2C7336CC-61C7-4072-8376-90D62ECFFBCB.jpg

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RubyCon1

your issue is between the engine block and the battery negative terminal - not between the starter and the engine block

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953 nut
14 minutes ago, BigRedGrizzly said:

16 gauge wire ground from motor mount bolt to starter bolt. 

16 gauge is only good for abut 10 amps; your starter draws about 50 amps. Buy a new 6 gauge cable and run it from the battery negative terminal to one of the starter bolts!

13 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Move the ground cable to one of the starter bolts.

 

 

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SylvanLakeWH
1 minute ago, 953 nut said:

16 gauge is only good for abut 10 amps; your starter draws about 50 amps. Buy a new 6 gauge cable and run it from the battery negative terminal to one of the starter bolts!

 

 

:text-yeahthat:

 

I had a different ground problem, but essentially I ran a "redundant" ground and it worked like a charm...

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BigRedGrizzly
27 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

16 gauge is only good for abut 10 amps; your starter draws about 50 amps. Buy a new 6 gauge cable and run it from the battery negative terminal to one of the starter bolts!

 

Lol... I guess I should probably get some 6 gauge wire and run it from the negative terminal to one of the starter bolts..:text-lol:

Thanks, 953

632D0F07-D948-4343-A4D8-5D432B618707.png

Edited by BigRedGrizzly

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Tuneup

Cut to the quick. Replace the negative lead with a nice new one - not expensive. Attach it from battery to the starter bolt at the engine. Your problems will be solved. If not, you're back to the positive leads and ensuring they're fresh. As they age, they begin taking some of the charge from the starter and will become nice and toasty warm.

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RubyCon1

quick check

 

using your test light with the clip lead attached to battery POSITIVE.

 

any place you touch with the probe and the probe lights, that spot will be grounded

 

no light = no connection to ground (battery negative terminal)

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BigRedGrizzly
1 hour ago, RubyCon1 said:

quick check

 

using your test light with the clip lead attached to battery POSITIVE.

 

any place you touch with the probe and the probe lights, that spot will be grounded

 

no light = no connection to ground (battery negative terminal)

 

Great tip Rubes.. Makes sense. I will keep that in my pocket. Regarding your previous post. I should have realized the ground issue was between the engine block and the ground terminal on the battery. In electrically challenged. :text-lol:

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Aldon

You may have done so but I hate to assume in situations like this. Make sure the area under engine between frame and engine allows continuity. When I painted everything including engine, I cleaned all threads with tap to assure that through bolts which connect to cables had a path to ground.

Edited by Aldon
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BigRedGrizzly

Ok fellas.. Here's the deal...

 

I used a spark plug tester to make

sure I am getting spark. I am. It looks good. I also learned how to use that power tester backwards to check for ground. Thanks to Ruby. I also learned how to use my digital multimeter to check for continuity.  I put it on the audible setting and began checking. The solenoid has a good ground as does the motor mount bolts. Oddly enough it seems as though the engine itself does not have a ground. It might now that I ran the negative cable to the starter which is attached to the engine. 

I have the old regulator if anyone is handy enough to fix the broken terminal. Anyone can have it. I'll mail it to you. It's a Repco 10 Amp. 

0F2CD019-C2C3-4867-86E4-8AE19D741E09.jpg

F871D7D8-627B-4526-B701-81AFB88ABF6F.jpg

 

So I just turned the key a few times. No start. I understand that it takes an while for the fuel pump to be primed to provide

fuel to the carb bowl. Is there any way to speed this up? Maybe poor a little fuel down the tube that provides fuel between the pump and the carb? I saw someone use a marine fuel tank/line bulb to help prime it. 

 

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RubyCon1

another concern regarding the non grounded cylinder head bolts

 

if they are that corroded where they are electrically non conductive, the threads may be so corroded they would not have taken the proper torque and tightened up falsely in the engine block

 

this could lead to head gasket blowout issues in the near future

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