Justin Slingsby Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 My starter solenoid went out last weekend on my Plymouth ( my second in a year). In a pinch my friend loaned me one from a 53 Desoto. Last night I hitched it up and got no results from the key and immediately the negative post on the battery got hot and started to hiss. Does this have anything to do with positive ground? Is that what the Desoto is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 solenoid is just an electrical switch and polarity has nothing to do with its operaion as it is just a coil and set of high current contacts..sounds as though the solenoid you installed was bad from the 53 DeSoto.. For the record, you can connect the the solenoid witout connecting the starter..connect the base to ground..big lead from the battery to the input..jumper across the big lead to the small lead and see if the solenoid energizes...and you can hear a good solid clicking of the high current contacts..with only the input connected and the solenoid to body ground...there should be zero current drain on the small coil post or the output posts..check you battery lead to the starter...be sure it is not frayed and touching somewhere drawing excessive current through the contacts.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Slingsby Posted September 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Thanks Tim for the info. I checked all of my wiring and it seems fine. I can jump across the solenoid and run the starter no problem in fact that is how I started most of last weekend. In fact after doing that I was able to get about 6 good keyed starts out of the car. Now it is back to giving a rapid series of clicks when I key the ignition and the starter doesn't turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 If the solenoid checks out as per Tim's test, make sure your cable to the starter is in good condition and not shorting against anything in its path. If it's good and you still have a problem, might be your starter armeture might be dragging on the ifeld coils due to worn bearings. This will casus the starter to turn slowly or not turn at all, but put a very high load on the cables and through to the battery. About the same as grounding the battery directly to the engine. Drawing that much current can sometimes weld the contacts in the solenoid closed redering it into junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Now it is back to giving a rapid series of clicks when I key the ignition and the starter doesn't turn. Double check your battery cables where they connect to the battery posts and the other end. After a series of "clicks" feel them to see if they are hot. Use caution as one of them will nost likley be very hot. If one is hot then you have found your problem. Also do you have a ground strap running from the engine to the firewall? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Slingsby Posted September 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 I had the starter rebuilt when I finished converting the car over to 12 volt. I really don't think it is starter related because it will start fine if I jump across the solenoid. I am just confused as to why I am frying solenoids, 2 in one year, and they are American made Solenoids. I lost this solenoid after I had already been driving the car that day. Plus I have driven it all summer without a hitch. am I getting too hot under the hood and the heat is frying them? I am using a 56 Plymouth 12 V solenoid. My ground strap runs from my alternator mount to my frame is this sufficient or should I run one to the body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 therein may be your problem..if you have the 6 volt starter on the car and running 12 volts you have upped your current..however...your best bet is still sticking with the 6 volt solenoid...the 12 volt could fry even faster. You have the resistance (ohm reading) on your starter..multiply this time your voltage and you will get the current drain..on the 6 it can be up to 300 amps..now if you double your voltage the current doubles in turn by the fact the resistance is the same..(this is not a linear equation)..as you notice..the starter spins very fast on 12 volts...that is the benefit of the extra voltage across the same reistance... suggest you get a new solenoid, clean all your connections very good...up to 00 cable is you have not already..do a voltage drop test across your cables any resistance in this will drive the amp draw out of control...if you have a voltage drop...of even .6 volts..fix the connectors on the cable.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 I initially ran a 6-volt starter after converting to 12 volts. What I discovered was the 6-volt starter motor spins much faster with 12 volts and due to this the bendix slams the starter motor gear into the flywheel at an accelerated rate. Twice my starter motor gear locked into the flywheel requiring me to rock my car backwards and forwards with the transmission in gear to pop the gear free. I then converted to a 12-volt starter and have had no more problems. As part of my 12-volt conversion I replaced the original 6-volt solenoid with a Ford 12-volt 4-pole solenoid. I retained the large battery cables as a 6-volt starter running on 12-volts pulls higher amps than a 12-volt starter running on 12-volts. My recommendation is to switch to a 12-volt starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40deluxe Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 the negative post on the battery got hot and started to hiss. Now it is back to giving a rapid series of clicks when I key the ignition and the starter doesn't turn Classic signs of dirty battery connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackster Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 the negative post on the battery got hot and started to hiss.Now it is back to giving a rapid series of clicks when I key the ignition and the starter doesn't turn Classic signs of dirty battery connections. or inproper ground, test the switch while you are at it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Slingsby Posted September 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Well I cured it. The battery ground was the most suspect but I filed all my contacts between the battery and the starter and reassembled everything and now the solenoid does its job. I think my negative post leaks on my battery. my ground terminal end was coated in corrosion. Thanks for the help everyone! J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Could you put dielectric grease on your connections to repel corrosion or is the under hood enviroment too hot to retain the grease? FRANKIE47 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Slingsby Posted September 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 Huh I guess I am not sure. I don't see why not. I was just going to finish the driving season with this battery and when I stored the car for the winter yank it and get a new one. This battery has lasted the car 12 years so it has done its job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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