starter wiring help, please

[Schtauffer]

The 67 Malibu I drive has starting issues, and I believe it to be something in the wiring under the dash. I hate trouble-shooting wiring; I know very little about electricity; I need some help.

When I hit the key, it cranks over real slow, like one cylinder at a time (you know: eeeyur...... eeeeeyur .....eeeyur ..... eeeeeeeyur), like it does when the battery is dead. The battery is fully charged; the fender-mounted solenoid is good; the starter is new. I am fairly certain that the starter is not getting full voltage; the reason being that when I hang on the key for even just a couple seconds, there is a hot smell that comes from under the dash, and sometimes a little smoke will come out from around the steering column. Ya think there's something under there that needs replaced? Any ideas what that might be? ???

HELP

[STINEY]

Re: starter wiring help, please

If you have a fender mounted solenoid, try jumping it there (forget the key switch, leave it off)

Should spin over good - if not, then clean all connections (big cables) starting with scraping the battery terminals and go all the way to the starter connections. Corrosion builds up and causes resistance, even if they look OK clean them anyways.

It could be the solenoid, the newer parts store ones don't seem to hold up as well as the older OEM ones. You should hear an audible "click" when you touch a wire from the small terminal to the battery side large terminal. If not replace.

Once you get it working good by jumping the solenoid, then try the key switch again. If all is well, well good. If not something may have been damaged when the smoke got out, just go get a can of new "wire smoke" and an adapter fitting and refill the wires.



(sorry couldn't resist that one!) Seriously, there may be a melted wire in the dash wiring now. If so it will need replaced, along with any that were touching it enough to be damaged too by the heat. Check thoroughly....

[CarPlayLB]

Re: starter wiring help, please

It is amperage, not voltage, that spins the starter. Make sure your cables are in good condition. I have seen similar situations where the cables were perfectly clean, however they were corroded inside the plastic cover. Trying to pull the amperage through a wire that is corroded causes resistance, which is where the heat comes from! Make sure all of the contacts are clean and tight at the switch and the connector on the column....and good luck!

[Groucho]

Re: starter wiring help, please

I don't think your problem is under the dash. I think what's going on under your dash is a byproduct of the real problem. Maybe run an additional cable to the starter's hot AND ground and see what happens. I use a pair of jumper cables when there's room to parallel the existing hot and ground to the starter temporarily to diagnose. Try another battery just for kicks, and a NEW starter doesn't make it GOOD. Pull the coil wire to see if that helps (TOO advanced on the timing). This is a stretch, but "maybe" the starter's too close to the flexplate/flywheel, and it's in a bind? A shim would answer that, but it's a stretch. I hope some of this helps

The 67 Malibu I drive has starting issues, and I believe it to be something in the wiring under the dash. I hate trouble-shooting wiring; I know very little about electricity; I need some help.

When I hit the key, it cranks over real slow, like one cylinder at a time (you know: eeeyur...... eeeeeyur .....eeeyur ..... eeeeeeeyur), like it does when the battery is dead. The battery is fully charged; the fender-mounted solenoid is good; the starter is new. I am fairly certain that the starter is not getting full voltage; the reason being that when I hang on the key for even just a couple seconds, there is a hot smell that comes from under the dash, and sometimes a little smoke will come out from around the steering column. Ya think there's something under there that needs replaced? Any ideas what that might be? ???

HELP

[Schtauffer]

Re: starter wiring help, please

Thanks for the trouble shooting tips. I'll have time to crawl under the car tomorrow. I had a couple minutes last night to look at it, and I crossed the solenoid terminals-- same response. SO, I think too that the problem is not under the dash. Talked to a couple of people last night at a local club meeting (Keystone Garage Club, check it out www.keystonegarageclub.com ), they suggested grounding the battery to the engine instead of the frame, and scraping the paint off in the areas where grounding contacts are made. Areas like the starter pad on the motor, for example.

[Schtauffer]

Re: starter wiring help, please

Moved the battery ground from the frame to the engine this morning. Problem solved. D'oh!

[shaggn]

Re: starter wiring help, please

I was just going to say check grounds!Had similar problem on my wagon,addded good ground cables engine>body>frame>battery etc,all well since.Glad you solved it.

[Groucho]

Re: starter wiring help, please

Now run a ground to the body/chassis for your other electrical needs

Moved the battery ground from the frame to the engine this morning. Problem solved. D'oh!

[biginch]

Re: starter wiring help, please

BEEN HERE DONE THIS!

FIRST! get under the dash, and check for chafed wires. if there arent any chaffed wires, it is almost certainly the ignition switch. change it, it is kind of a pain in the rear, but it will cause this problem. the contacts in the switch are probably going out, not allowing enough current to get to the solenoid to give it the proper voltage to make a good forceful connection for the heavy contacts inside it, thus causing the starter to s-l-o-w-l-y t-u-r-n o-v-e-r.

the scary thing is that the dang thing can burn your car down.

about ten years ago in wichita i almost burnt my camaro to the ground because of this. destroyed the ignition switch, both battery cables, cooked the battery to the point it was bulging out and about to burst open, and made me almost pee my pants. i realized what was going on, jumped out, got under the hood, and as quick as i could jerked the negative battery cable out of the terminal on the sidepost battery (yes, i am a big boy, i just snatched it out) with my t-shirt wrapped around my hand. the switch shorted in the starter-engaged position.

huey

[Schtauffer]

Re: starter wiring help, please

Now run a ground to the body/chassis for your other electrical needs

Moved the battery ground from the frame to the engine this morning. Problem solved. D'oh!

Will do.

[Schtauffer]

Re: starter wiring help, please

BEEN HERE DONE THIS!

FIRST! get under the dash, and check for chafed wires. if there arent any chaffed wires, it is almost certainly the ignition switch. change it, it is kind of a pain in the rear, but it will cause this problem. the contacts in the switch are probably going out, not allowing enough current to get to the solenoid to give it the proper voltage to make a good forceful connection for the heavy contacts inside it, thus causing the starter to s-l-o-w-l-y t-u-r-n o-v-e-r.

the scary thing is that the dang thing can burn your car down.

about ten years ago in wichita i almost burnt my camaro to the ground because of this. destroyed the ignition switch, both battery cables, cooked the battery to the point it was bulging out and about to burst open, and made me almost pee my pants. i realized what was going on, jumped out, got under the hood, and as quick as i could jerked the negative battery cable out of the terminal on the sidepost battery (yes, i am a big boy, i just snatched it out) with my t-shirt wrapped around my hand. the switch shorted in the starter-engaged position.

huey

My car has mostly all original wiring, and it is showing some serious age. I'm pretty much a young, inexperienced dumbass when it comes to wiring, and my whole car could be re-wired.

[ls7gto]

Re: starter wiring help, please

Moved the battery ground from the frame to the engine this morning. Problem solved. D'oh!

did you thank Glen? lol

[Schtauffer]

Re: starter wiring help, please

Yes, mom. ;D

[65 L79]

Re: starter wiring help, please


Put that peterbuilt fender mounted solenoid back on that I gave you and ditch the plastic ford one . If I'm thinking right -you took off the factory copper grounds from the heads to the firewall when you smoothed and painted it . You should also find or replace the factory ground wire on your chevelle going from the battery ground post "or joining into the battery cable" that bolts on in front of the battery to the radiator support above, behind the right high beam headlight . There "used to" also be little short copper ground straps from the inner fenders to the frame on that thing . My 66 still has them.
Get particular about the wiring condition under the dash , especially since its been converted to SS style guages and you have that extra stuff changed over. Hopefully your buddy was real careful and ran that stuff in looms and grommets . Dont forget to check the engine harness plug where it comes through the firewall beside the master cyl and make sure you have that clean and tight . That plug gave me a fit one time when I used to drive your car .