Starter won't spin

[adam_knox]

So I had my starter rebuilt and after i installed it the solenoid engages, but there's no spinning (no "wrrr wrrr wrrr"). Took it back to the shop and they hooked it up to 12 volts and spun fine on the bench. I have it hooked up the exact same way my old one was hooked up. Took the new battery I installed to get double checked (a-OK). I cleaned all the wires, can't figure out what the issue is. If the solenoid goes in, that would mean all the wires are hooked up and transferring enough energy right? Any tips would be helpful.

[captden29]

Adam, on some solenoids there is a metal ring inside the solenoid, akin to a large washer, and when the solenoid is engaged it makes contact across the points that transfer the current. over time the metal gets corroded and burnt and will not pass current any longer. that ring can be turned to expose a new contact area, maybe cleaned or better replaced.you can also have corrosion inside the cable that goes to the solenoid that you may not see.replace that cable. i would also try another battery just for the heck of it.also, where the starter mounts to the bell housing must be clean for a good ground, and the bolts need to be tight. the problem here is ususally not difficult to fix, just a problem to find the culprit. capt den

[Plymouthy Adams]

Are you still talking stock starter and fender apron mounted solenoid? If so, any one of your connections could be drity and even the sloenoid could be bad...ground cable not connected securely...just because the solenoid clicks does not mean it has made solid contact to the transfer high current connector..jumper across the solenoid with a spare battery cable to see if the starter will engage..some times folks replace these solenoids witht he 12 volt models commonly seen today..while they work they are not built for the heavy current of the 12 volt modtor and even shorter lived 6 volt motor on 12 volt battery..lots of high current there and usually loss of contact metal when the connection is made ...so using 12 volt Ford solenoid are cheap enough..so regular replacement is not a high dollar job and to be honest with you, a spare in the trunk is also a good idea..

[Merle Coggins]

Adam, has your car been converted to 12 volt? If so, carry on and check the solenoid as stated by the others. If it is still 6 volt, maybe you should have the shop test it on 6 volts to see what it does.

Besides that I also feel it could be a bad solenoid or poor connection somewhere. Recheck all battery connections to be sure they are clean and tight. Also, the jumper trick that Tim mentioned is a good way to bypass the starter solenoid to test things. Just use a heavy wire/cable to do it.

Merle

[adam_knox]

Thanks for the replies guys. The starter and solenoid (mounts right on top of the starter) are original and I just had them rebuilt for a stock 6 volt. So here's what I've done after reading your posts.

1. Cleaned all connections from the battery to the starter
   
2. Charged the battery and had it checked at the auto parts store (don't have a spare 6 volt battery to use). Everything checked out, was reading about 6.45 volts.
   
3. When the key is turned the solenoid engaged
   
4. If I run the battery to starter motor terminal and it spins
   
5. If I run the battery to the starter motor terminal via a jumper cable AND trigger the starter solenoid it cranks the engine (although when I did that test it wasn't a strong crank and the battery was putting out 6.21 volts). There wasn't enough crank to get it to turn over
   

So I'm thinking either I'm still overlooking something or maybe Capt. Den is on to something with the switch contact gap/washer... So the shop I had the starter rebuilt at wants me to bring the car with the starter so they can see if its something I'm doing wrong or if there's a fault with the starter. I hate to tow the car for something so rather "simple." Can I crank the engine with me engaging both the solenoid and the starter motor or could I damage the motor that way? My other idea is to pop the clutch, but I've never done that (let alone with the M5 transmission) and seeing that the car has been parked for like 2 months now its prolly gonna take a coupla tries. Would it be just as effective to pop the clutch in reverse (seeing that the car is pulled into the garage engine first)?

[randroid]

Adam,

The problem with popping the clutch in reverse is the gear ratio might put too much strain on the drive line, the same reason you should pop it in second gear when going forward instead of first. Other than that the car shouldn't care.

If the ignition is turned on you shouldn't need to run a jumper to the battery post on the starter if the cable from the battery is good. Just jumping from the battery post to the solenoid should spin the engine and if it doesn't then the cable is probably at fault because the system isn't any more complicated than that.

-Randy

[adam_knox]

Update!

Got it to the shop via tow-truck. The shop scratched their heads a bit but eventually found the problem to be a grounding issue. Thing starts like a champ now! Thanks everyone for all your help. Feels great to have it back on the road!

[greg g]

Usually when a shop rebuilds something their last step is to apply a thick coat of paint.

Nothing like a layer of fresh paint to screw up the ground path. Something to look for when installing freshened parts and pieces. If they need a good electrical path, makes sure they have it.

[adam_knox]

Lol, its funny you should mention that. They painted it and it looked shiny and new. However, its tricky to get it lined up to get mounted. Since I've put it in and taken it so many times, plus they did too, the newly rebuilt starter now looks like its original from all the scratches and scuffs!