Starter...

Hey Lenny, I remember you!

How does the solenoid get stuck? Sometimes the moving cylinder inside the solenoid gets corroded, and the corrosion starts interfering with the sleeve the cylinder moves in. They may get slow at first, and eventually stop traveling all the way, so there is no contact to turn the starter motor. You can take them apart (most require soldering some wires loose), or you could pull the pivot bolt half way out from the neck and spray WD40 or something in the exposed bolt hole, turning teh starter in your hands so the WD40 goes into the solenoid. Then hit it with jumper cables 10-20 times to give it a good strong jolt. That should lubricate and clean it up as well as clean the starter motor contacts at the end of the solenoid piston's travel. Don't pull the pivot bolt out completely, it's a pain to get back in.

This is a case where, IMHO, WD40 is the right stuff because it purges and displaces moisture, then dissipates to just a tiny bit of harmless residual. But WD40 is not really a lubricant except when it is wet, and only a bit of a lube. Ya know it was the stuff in 55 gallon cans used to purge seawater off of aircraft carrier planes and electrics.

Hey Jan, I was around and remember the NYE chat where you stayed online for the whole 24 hrs.! Did I read that you'e now in FL?

Um...solonoid...stuck....clarification - once in four blue moons when I turn the key the idiot lights will dim ever-so-slightly and...nothing, no starter. Turn the key again, same thing. Years ago Speedy Jim suggested I replace the ignition switch. I did. Four blue moons later, same deal. So what happens when that happens? I wait. And within five or ten minutes I turn the key and I'm good to go for another four blue moons! I suspect the solonoid is playing roulette every time I ask it to function. I think I'm hearing you say to try and fix what I have, yes? I suppose I should crack the Bentley and study up on what's inside the solonoid before I remove the starter. Great to see you around!

Lenny D.

Yes I know what WD40 is.. and I don't recommend dousing the innards of the starter with heavy oil. WD40 is thin enough to get to where it needs to go, do it's job, and then mostly disappear.

Yea, I finally moved... married Kidd from Ramva and now live near Orlando, and have a boatload of kids :P How time flies, huh.

Just shocking the starter by shorting the big and small terminals while it's in the car, would often be enough to freshen things up so the solenoid would loosen up, and the contacts would clean themselves too. Sparks will fly, and high current is present.. so use jumper cables or a heavy wrench or screwdriver to short them. Don't hit ground. The current available from the ignition switch is much lower than what you can give it straight from the heavy battery cable. Which conveniently is located just an inch from the small solenoid terminal :)

Wow, how'dat happen!? ;-)

Yes, tempus fugit.

I will try that, have all the necessaries and am well aware of what happens when positive electrons meet unopposed negative ones of that amperage! :-0

I also will inspect wiring and connectors of 30 and 50 through the car, I read up on that last night, and there are two T1 connectors on the 50 wire, one behind the dash and one somewhere in the back (under the seat?). Maybe something lurks...reports forthcoming.

I would explain it to you in detail, but this is a family newsgroup.... :P

Hey what did I just say, watch that language! LOL

jan

Let em see now, how was this, ferriner, nah, forneque, nah, ferrincation, nah, forinecution, nah, fornefugal, nah, fe*ckemall, naaahh, badgit, bandera, bandication, nah, felatio, nah(Hey leave my ex out of it!). Well, they did manage somehow, and more than once! :0P

J.

Maybe the problem is old wiring.

When it gets old, it corrodes on the inside. When that happens, the current can not flow like it should.

Sometime one the these hard start relays,

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----------- > Old time RAMVITE here, from waaaay back!

Actually, I started there first... Disassembled the + battery connector, brightened up the inside, cleaned up the huge wire to the starter and the smaller one going to the regulator. Cleaned the wires and terminals on the regulator, found the T1 under the seat and cleaned it, too. They all needed attention but the wires themselves looked fine including the crimps, nice and coppery!

Might just be my imagination but I think the idiot lights are a tad brighter in the 'on' position. The - battery connector was fine. Time will tell, I have four blue moons to go! :-D

Lenny D.

Maybe the problem is old wiring.

When it gets old, it corrodes on the inside. When that happens, the current can not flow like it should.

Sometime one the these hard start relays,

The "Idiots" guide suggests running a thick red wire from the solenoid to the battery area. then if needed , a short little jolt gets things going, for awhile. I install an old Ford solenoid on the fire wall,it's gets activated by the key and it fires the solenoid on the starter. works every time. good luck!