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  • Starter Bump Button

    Help me out here. This year, when I rewired my car, I reinstalled my bump button to make adjusting my valves much easier. Problem is, after I wired it up, it didn't work. I had added a junction block to run some power leads from, for my fans, MSD, etc. I ran one wire to this junction block for power (fed by the main power lead off the starter). The other wire runs to the side terminal on the starter. I have a Tilton high torque mini starter, there is only the main power terminal and ignition switch terminal.

    I had this bump button wired up with this starter about a decade ago, and for the life of me, can't figure out what I did wrong. Thinking it was possibly the bump button, I tried simply touching the wires together once unhooked from the button, nothing. I also had previously tried switching the wires on the terminals of the button. I'm lost, and am obviously missing something. There are only two wires, only two terminals, and am somewhat baffled by what I possibly could have done wrong.

    Any help is greatly appreciated.
    Motor City Muscle

  • #2
    test light or voltmeter...test for power at the wire.

    If you are getting power to the switch, and getting power out of the switch, it should make the starter work. It's possible there is a lot of voltage drop in the wire, so you might want to measure the voltage at the terminal at the starter, make sure it's getting at least 11 volts when you push the button.
    My fabulous web page

    "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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    • #3
      better than a double positive.
      you have a good error to chase.
      Previously boxer3main
      the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

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      • #4
        There are three possibilities here, one your starter has a bad solenoid, two the wire in broken somewhere along the line or three the button is bad....... Check for voltage were the wire starts, then check it at the button, if you have voltage going to the button make sure when you press the button the voltage comes out the other side, if it does then see if you have voltage at the other end of the wire that connects to the stater solenoid, if you have voltage all the way through to that point your starter solenoid is bad.......

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        • #5
          Or, in the alternative don't use a bump button. You risk killing the starter, the starter drive and the ring gear. After having that experince with a 444 ft/lb high torque starter and a killed TCI flexplate I have gone back to the 1.250" box wrench on the mandrel at the front of the damper/pulley assembly. Good excercise for an old guy and I can move the engine precisely where I want it for each cylinder and I can carefully watch rocker and valve movement.

          Yes I am paranoid.
          Drag Week 2006 & 2012 - Winner Street Race Big Block Naturally Aspirated - R/U 2007 Broke DW '05 and Drag Weekend '15 Coincidence?

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          • #6
            it almost sounds like you wired your junction block from your on position of the key switch since you want all that ignition stuff to be hot when you are starting your car, but you need the positive from an always hot source to use that bump switch. But if it is indeed run from the battery it makes no sense. Just sounds like you have a switch powering all the ignition stuff that needs to be on when you bump, but with all that ignition stuff there you would be starting the car.
            Last edited by anotheridiot; July 4, 2012, 05:41 AM.

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            • #7
              MSD is powered by the junction block, but the wire that turns the MSD on is still from the ignition on position. It was hot as hell these last few days, hitting 100+ multiple days, so I didn't stick around the garage too long. I did get out the voltmeter and find I have power to the bump button, but no power out the other side with the button engaged. Ok, you'd think it was the button then, but simply touching the two wires together bypassing the button still didn't bump the engine. By that point I had sweat off 10 lbs and called it a day. I may very well wait until winter to figure it since I will probably adjust the valves once and call it good for the year.
              Motor City Muscle

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              • #8
                I usually turn an engine by hand when adjusting valves....it's a lot easier to control, and as mentioned won't be as likely to break stuff if you have a racing engine
                My fabulous web page

                "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                • #9
                  Well, found the issue today. I had created a Y-connector for the ignition switch terminal. While sliding the connector through a rubber hose to protect from hedder heat, the bump button became disconnected. I soldered both connectors, problem solved, bump button works.
                  Motor City Muscle

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by CDMBill View Post
                    Or, in the alternative don't use a bump button. You risk killing the starter, the starter drive and the ring gear. After having that experince with a 444 ft/lb high torque starter and a killed TCI flexplate I have gone back to the 1.250" box wrench on the mandrel at the front of the damper/pulley assembly. Good excercise for an old guy and I can move the engine precisely where I want it for each cylinder and I can carefully watch rocker and valve movement.

                    Yes I am paranoid.
                    Good advice, I personally wouldn't use a bump button either.
                    This reminds me of a funny story involving my high school auto shop teacher, it didn't end well.
                    Originally posted by TC
                    also boost will make the cam act smaller

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                    • #11
                      When I was a kid I put my bump button on the core support of my 69 Camaro. Every time I shut the hood, the hood would tap the button and bump the starter. My friends laughed their asses off
                      STUGOTS

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