Part time starter

[67BlackBird]

Gents,
I'd appreciate some help with issue.
Sometrimes the starter starts, sometimes I get the "click", sometimes I get nothing.
If I get nothing I have put the battery charger on it and in less than 5 minutes it reports charged.
If I use jumper cables anytime it will turn over and start.
In response to this problem I have :
Installed a new battery (optima red top)
New battery cables
Rebuilt and rewired the alternator
Cleaned the ground strap from block to cylinder head
re-wired some suspect connections at the starter
Removed the starter and took it to my local parts place, where it checked out good.

Starter is an IMI mini starter on my Pontiac 400.
Any ideas? Seems liike it should be a solenoid issue, but when it checked out at the store. . . I do not understand what's up
Thanks for your time,

[David Pozzi]

Look at your neutral safety switch and ignition switch. Often these switches wear or corrode and don't carry the full amps you need to trigger the starter. Often a ford remote solenoid is installed to fix this problem when the "real" problem is a bad switch. The ford solenoid will get you by just fine in most cases. But I've managed to fix the switch every time on our fleet vehicles by fixing the real problem not the symptom.

To test this you can connect a handheld starter button from bat + to your starter switch terminal on the starter and see if it starts that way.

Remember GM ign switches in the late 60's early 70's ground the ignition circuit when in the off position. Triggering the starter with a remote switch and on a stock starter with point ignition will put full voltage to the points, then it will run to ground through the "off" ign switch through the factory resistance wire in the harness. Doing this for a short time won't hurt anything but for a longer cranking time may burn out the resistance wire or do harm to the harness. Just a warning.
David

[67BlackBird]

Thanks, David. Does the fact that I have an HEI distributor change the plan? I'd hate to hook it up and fry something that wasn't the problem...
Thanks again, now I have to find a handheld starter button...

[David Pozzi]

Yes an HEI does not use the yellow wire from starter to coil, this prevents feedback of the circuit when starting with a remote button. The purple wire is the starter "trigger" wire and it's a good sized wire. Another trick when it's hot is to hold the key in the start position, then move the shifter, - if it's an automatic. Moving the shifter moves the contacts in the neutral safety switch and that often allows a better connection, but if the switch is really shot it isn't going to help. That's an old trick we used on the farm to get a pickup running and back to the shop. Farm use is very dusty and the pickups are always shifting into and out of park, a lot of stop and go, which wears the switch out and get's dust inside.

Another way is to just unplug the neutral switch and make up a jumper wire to plug into the harness. You can bypass the switch for a while and see if the starter is more reliable. There are usually two wires plugged in, one is the starter, the other is the backup lights. The switch is usually on the steering column, but some are on the shifter in the console.

Just be careful to not start it in gear!
David

[jeffandre]

Not sure if this is part of your problem, but here's my story. I went through this many years ago. Replaced the starter, helped for a little while. Replaced the starter solenoid numerous times, each time it helped for a little while. A battery or two in the mix and then one day I found the switch that is mounted to the column. Turned out that when I turned my key, the switch did not fully engage or contact every time. I replaced the switch ($5) and adjusted the position of it very carefully and never had a problem again.

Before replacing the switch I resorted to using a screwdriver to start the car at least a hundred times over a period of months...Yes I can be dense and slow at times!

[whytry]

Hey Jeff, what do you mean by adjusted the position of the switch very carefully? I did not know it was adustable at all. I thought it was either on or off?

[67BlackBird]

Gents, thanks a bunch, this weekend I will try and find and short the neutral safety switch. Will let you know how it goes - thanks for the help.

[67BlackBird]

Nope, not that neutral safety switch. Disconnected mine (it's on a console mounted Turbo350 trans). I disconnected the wires to it, shorted them and then tried to start it. Nope. Suspect the ignition switch in the dash.

[Dwfastcam]

I've seen bad connections with these old wiring harnesses for years! Intermittent electrical problems are due to bad connections, I suggest change ignition switch and check connections at fuse block on fire wall if you still have it. Good luck!