Starter Condition

[Rick Wall]

I am in the process of reinstalling the engine in my 62 coupe. I replaced the starter bushing in the bell housing, then out of curiosity I bolted the starter up tight with both bolts. When I turn the key, the solenoid sends the gear forward, but the starter doesn't rotate.

My question is, does the engine need to be in the car so the starter makes contact with the flywheel in order to rotate? Or do I have a starter problem? Thought I would ask the question while the engine is still out of the car.

Thanks for your help.

[Jacques Lefriant]

Hi
no need for the engine. check the cables both at the starter and the battery(charged) chassis grounds. if it worked before it should work now.
j

[Ben Wainscott]

I replaced my starter and bushing about 7 months ago. When I ordered them at Zim’s, Arron said the new brass bushing ID's are to small after being pressed in and they bind, so they ream them for the proper clearance. Might be your issue if no electrical problems found.

[Geoff Fleming]

Is the ignition, ( thinner ), wire attached to the starter? Is it receiving current when the ignition key is turned? Some starters have two spade connectors...one seems to do nothing, so switch to the other if you get no response from the first.

[Rick Wall]

Jacques, the battery is new last week, and I cleaned and sanded the negative cable to frame area. The transmission ground strap was also cleaned and sanded. I'm not sure how well the starter worked before since I the car has never run since I owned it, and I am currently installing a new motor.

Ben, I slid the new bushing onto the starter before installing it into the transmission, and it spun fine, but no telling how the starter shaft spins after I pressed it in.

Geoff, there is only one small wire and solenoid spade connection for my car, but I will take another look at it's condition. The solenoid moves well when the key is turned, so something is getting juice.

The other electrical items on the car seem to have plenty of juice, bright lights, etc. So I will revisit the starter related connections and try to rule out possibilities.

Thanks

[Geoff Fleming]

Have you inspected the condition of the positive cable at the battery? Any visible corrosion means less voltage getting into the wiring. You may have to cut back the wiring an inch or so and replace the clamp...makes a big difference.

[WilliamVaughan]

Other connections that also need to be low resistance are:
a) the flag terminal between the solinoid and the starter moter
b) ring terminal between starter motor dedicated cable and solinoid
c) solinoid high current contacts inside solinoid

This one should be easy to find with a volt meter. Go looking for voltage drops in the various connections when somebody else turns the ignition key.
Assumes starter spins freely by hand and is not stalled by mechanical impediment.

[Rick Wall]

So, I spent yesterday afternoon, utilizing everyone's recommendations, problem solving the starter issue. I cut back the positive battery cable an inch, which was corroded, and found clean inner cable as a result. I cleaned and sanded all connections again. I also removed the starter, and recently installed new bushing, to see if it had become distorted. It spun well on the starter while on the workbench, except if the bushing was close to the gear ring area. I'm sure all the rechecking of the connections helped the situation, but I think during my original installation of the bushing, I drove it too far into the transmission, causing it to bind against the starter. I left a gap during yesterdays reinstallation. After everything was reinstalled, the starter spins great when I turn the key.
Thanks again guys for you help, much appreciated!