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78 chevy starter problem

Beefed up my 78 350, cam -kit, intake, carb, headers (all stuffed in a

2wd Blazer)awhile ago. Ran great.

Had starter issues lately, had to tap on it a few times, last time didn`t work. Replaced starter with a guarenteed rebuild, started after I put it in, 2 more times before a test drive, drove it less than 7 miles, stopped at a quickee-mart for a soda, got back in the truck, turned the key and nothing, nada, zip. No click, no drag just nothing. Walked home. Next day did the old screwdriver to the solenoid trick, started up, drove home, parked it in the garage and still nothing. Any suggestions???

Btw, the old starter just gave out, after a few times of tapping it to try and start it, that didn`t work anymore.

Reply to
tom.barker
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Most likely a bad connection or sometimes new starters are bad too, they're made by humans in some cases

good luck kickstart

Reply to
Kickstart

If it doesn't start after sitting in the garage overnight, then it's not a heat-soak issue with the headers.

Did you also replace the starter solenoid? If you did....

Sounds like an electrical problem... should be easy enough to put a voltmeter on the solenoid to determine whether turning the ignition key to "start" feeds any current to the solenoid; sounds like it sometimes doesn't. Then it's a matter of tracing the wires to find the bad connection, or try bypassing the starter lockout switch (probably on the auto tranny linkage, or behind the clutch if you have a manual transmission).

Reply to
WayneC

One thing I have found is that the bulkhead connector on the firewall can give a problem like this, especially if the engine has been pulled where the wiring harness has been moved around.

The pins in the connector will sometimes separate slightly when hot, giving the hot soak symptoms of not starting hot. The check is when it isn't starting, put a test light on the solenoid wire (inner small terminal on the solenoid) and have someone click the key. If the light comes on, you have a solenoid problem. If the light doesn't come on, you have a wiring/bulkhead connector problem.

Another similar issue is ground. Especially after an engine change, engine ground wires often get ignored and the engine will run fine most of the time, but have starting issues occasionally, usually hot. I don't know why, but the quick way to check and fix, or eliminate, is take a jumper cable from the block, intake, alternator to the frame and/or battery negative post.

There is nothing more frustrating than starting problems.

If these aren't it, then there is the solenoid spring issue.

Chevy has a lightweight solenoid spring and Bob G has the part number. It is like $5 from Chevy.

Reply to
Tom in Missouri

corroded battery terminals or where the ground attaches to the frame; maybe the positive line to the starter dirty connection or the solenoid. Less likely but possible internal damage due to corrosion of the main battery cables (especially POS at the battery). Turn the headlights on if they are bright and then dim to almost nothing as the ignition switch is moved to START it's probably a dirty/corroded connection somewhere. If the lights stay bright it's the solenoid. (some cars the headlights will cut off during starting but I don't think that '78 does that maybe someone else that knows that car will confirm)

Butcher '96 LT-4 CE

Reply to
Butcher

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