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swap ready to go now...except for it wont start


ismellrealbad

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ive been delayed on getting this completed for a few weeks now because of the oil filter relocation issue. prior to that it started FINE.

 

now? the battery is slightly dead from sitting 7-8V. ok all it needs is a jump. when connecting the donor car i get 12.5 while off. turn my key on - 12.5. turn it to start and solenoid clicks and starter/motor turns at the speed of a mule. as soon as i turn to start the voltage drops to around 2 volts which obviously is whats causing the starter to turn so slow. i decided to try to hook the jumper cables up directly to the starter and same result.

 

what the fuck? what would cause the starter to draw so much? im stumped. motor turns over fine by hand and it just started fine a couple weeks ago with no changes in wiring

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Bad solenoid? If you have a spare one around, try swapping it in.

 

Otherwise.... I would make sure all connections are good. One bad ground can cause problems.

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I would double check the ignition to solenoid wire. If you have it on the wrong post (a ground), or its touching something, trying to start the car may just be like touching the positive to the negative. I know that can drain a battery pretty quick.

 

Another thing, if the FW and starter are too tight, could that huge amount of torque required cause the starter to pull all kinds of power?

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wires being swapped around would def cause this, but it already started a while ago n i didnt change anything. connections have been checked, im going to recheck everything then have the starter tested

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you may have a bad starter all together. If the coils get worn out then they offer vey little resistance and will pull massive amounts of current through. I would test the restance of the starter.

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well thats what i thought after using the diagnosis in my service manual.

 

battery: good

starter: good (had it tested)

cleaned all ground wires & starter mating surfaces, cleaned pos terminal & its wired correctly. when key is turned to start voltage drops to like 2 and it turns the motor maybe a half turn.

 

i just dont understand why its drawing so much. any suggestions on other electrical things i can check that might lead me to this rediculous problem

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Is the swap you are reffering to a Getrag 282 swap? If so, tell me about the flywheel. Does your engine turn freely when you turn the crankshaft with a torque wrench(or a long ratchet) Did you make sure everything is OK with the distance between the clutch disc and the input shaft of the trans? Are you sure you didn't flip the clutch disc backwards and it's binding up the input shaft?

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yeah 282 swap. it already started 2 weeks ago fine a few times with the trans in and everything as is now, only thing ive changed it the oil filter adapter. i can turn the motor fine by hand. flywheel is the correct thickness and the clutch is installed properly. im really up shits creek on this one. it should just work :gr_guns:

 

also, in that other thread about the starters they were discussing shims......i have none. possibility? where do i go about obtaining these (if i even need them?) so as to maybe try that

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You can put a couple of thin washers on the starter bolts and see if that cures it and if it does go to the parts store and get the starter shims(napa should have them) and start with thin and go to bigger if needed.

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questionable of advance, i looked in my 1996 service manual to see how to do the test myself. before even doing that though i was reading through all of the outcomes and it had one for me - i think hi speed/hi current draw. when they tested it, it fucken spun like a madmad but im pretty sure i also saw the ammeter shoot the fuck up reducusly hi and he didnt notice that. just checked to see it spun n said it was ok

 

the starter for pre-97 3800s is different i believe, so does anyone have a 97-01 service manual and can give me current and pinion speed specs? i would like to retest it

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Don't know, but on my L67 I used the 3100 starter for a while and if worked fine. I changed it just to have the "proper" one, not because it didn't work, so if you still have it, try it out.

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Are your cables new? If not, then a bad cable can do exactly what you are decribing. When you have the key ON, it will show 13V, when you turn to START it will try and kick the starter and drop it to near nothing on voltage because it is trying to pull that across the one good strand it has left in the cable.

 

Just another thought on the table is all. Good luck, bro.

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theres no griding...pinion slides into the flywheel fine and then it just turn slow and draws like crazy. thats why after thinking about it i decided its probably not shims and the starter.

 

if the starter turns out to be good then yeah thats my next plan of attack. like i said i cleaned the connections but never inspected the cables beyond anything obvious.

 

how about the fusible links? can they go bad but not actually blow and somehow cause this?

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Don't know, but on my L67 I used the 3100 starter for a while and if worked fine. I changed it just to have the "proper" one, not because it didn't work, so if you still have it, try it out.

 

thanks thats a great idea. all the 3800 starters in the yard were different. i sold my 3100 a while ago but theres plenty of 3100s there i can get one off of for the time being. im just like u tho im gunna have to order the L67 starter to have it right

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climb under the car with the ignition off, stick a screw driver (with insulated handle) between the S and the main posts on the solenoid and see of it cranks like it should. If is struggles, you need a starter, if its fine, your problem lies elsewhere. I was starting my GP like that for a while due to a bad wire.

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when they tested it, it fucken spun like a madmad but im pretty sure i also saw the ammeter shoot the fuck up reducusly hi and he didnt notice that. just checked to see it spun n said it was ok

 

 

You really need to test the resistance of the starter. I do not, however know of the expected values. I'm sure you could test the resistance on a new one at a parts store.

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