Mechanic's opinion of starting problem

[Rickchevy56]

Hi
Iphoned my mechanic about the starting problem and and told him another mechanic said it probably was not the HEI. He told me it might be the alternator even though the Kragen auto parts store tester least back in March said it ok. He told me if I was able to crank it it would not be the new starter. (I don't know if he meant the solenoid also.) I have not tried it yet.
what do you guys think?
thanks people
Rick
PS. Below is a copy of the original question. the aswears both some AF EXPERTS are on page 2.
Mystery starting problem in '76 350 engine
Hello All
This is about starting problem in my '64 Chev with a '76 Caprice 350. It was going off and on for about 3 months before dying. I figured I would'nt repair it since I was going to replace the engine; but it's rebuildable and was babied so I like to get it running without too much $!
One day I turned the ignition on and there was a little cluttering sound maybe near the starter, then a double click then like no power , lights radio completely dead. So i took the 6.5 year old battery down to Kragens to test it. It was weak so I replaced the battery and the car worked perfectly for about 3 weeks. I checked out the alternator, it was Ok. The starter was a quality starter I had replaced 10 months ago. I swapped batteries from my '56 wagon and the '64 started up just fine. after a couple weeks I noticed that when I re-started when the engine was hot it would take longer to start.
My mechanic could'nt figure it out. battery cables are good, connections to the starter are tight. I thought it might be the old HEI but some thing the starter could be defective. whatcha think?

[bobss396]

You could have a bad starter still. I've seen bum solenoids before. A bad HEI has nothing to do with the car not cranking or trying to crank over. It not cranking when hot points to a bad solenoid or the bushing for the starter drive could be seizing up from the heat.

I would get the car to a shop and let them check the charging system and starting system as well. It is not expensive and will single out what's wrong.

For the time being if you want to play around with it, install a new ignition switch, re-check all connections. If the battery cables are not NEW, replace them. I've seen them corroded once I stripped off some of the jacket.

Bob

[Rickchevy56]

Originally Posted by bobss396

You could have a bad starter still. I've seen bum solenoids before. A bad HEI has nothing to do with the car not cranking or trying to crank over. It not cranking when hot points to a bad solenoid or the bushing for the starter drive could be seizing up from the heat.

I would get the car to a shop and let them check the charging system and starting system as well. It is not expensive and will single out what's wrong.

For the time being if you want to play around with it, install a new ignition switch, re-check all connections. If the battery cables are not NEW, replace them. I've seen them corroded once I stripped off some of the jacket.

Bob

Hi Bob
Thanks for the advice. I bought some battery cables and will put them in. By the way there are 2 different gauges of cable #2 (thicker than #4 and suposedly better and longer lasting, more $) and stranded cable. I hope to run the car another 15 years. some car parts guys say the thickness usally only applies on long cables like from the ignition switch to the battery. (Mine are about 18" and 48". What's the advice on that?

STARTING PROBLEM
Also I did not explain enoughf that before I began checking the starting problem out that I checked that there was juice from the battery by turning on the headlights and the radio. (and of course turning them off before attempting to start . When I tried to crank I heard a a split second clattering sound then all electrical systems even the radio was COMPLETELY DEAD! I don't know if that means the new solenoid is bad or what.
Thanks, Rick

[silicon212]

Can I ask you a question? This touches on why I haven't replied to your posts of late. The question -

If you disregard someone's advice here, and continue to ask questions of a mechanic who either doesn't seem to know what he's doing, or that something's getting lost in the translation, then how come you keep asking?

I've given you advice on many occasions, good advice. Yet, you seem to disregard all of it. There's nothing wrong with a healthy, second opinion, but you keep posting the same questions that I had already responded. Again and again. The harmonic balancer question was one thing, a '350' water pump and belt drive on your 283 was another - now this.

Now I am going to try this one more time. Please try this before asking this question again. And yes, details do count. As a personal computer technician, I run into situations on a repeating basis where someone brings me a system to fix, saying there's x and y wrong with it, but then getting upset because I didn't completely fix it, because the client failed to mention to me that z was acting up too. It's like that with cars. Your detail about the lights and radio and everything else going out is an IMPORTANT DETAIL and one which you LEFT OUT.

The problem is now likely to be in the primary electrical system - the battery, battery cables, the ground or the amount of torque (tightening) applied to the battery cable at the solenoid. My guess is either a ground (the large (-) battery cable), the juice (the large (+) cable) or a loose connection. The problems with the (-) and (+) cables can be loose or corroded connections at the battery. Use a knife and scrape off the corrosion (and into the lead) of each battery terminal, both on the battery and the cable, reapply the cables and make sure they're tight enough that you can't twist them on the terminals. Check also for corrosion within the connection where the cable itself (the wire strands) meet up inside the cable terminal if they're removable. If not, try new cables.

Remember, we're here to help and not one of us is getting paid for this - in other words, we're not looking to rip you off. And while it's a fact that there are a select few (I haven't met them here, yet) who would willingly give false information in order to screw with you, I am not one and niether is anyone I've convo'd with here (to my knowledge). Advice is worth exactly what you paid for it, true, but experience is worth more than money. Go get your hands dirty.

[maxwedge]

Seconded and agreed with on all points.

[joe68]

i agree too,listem and learn and try things for yourself