Hi guys
My ’71 with 351C and FMX tranny won’t start from the key. Jump wire from solenoid it starts ok.
I checked neutral safety swich. It’s ok. It gave 12,? volts when in park, nothing with other position or key turned of. Solenoid is newish and seems to be ok.
Other issue is that it runs really rough idle, don’t stay on and smoke is huge! I know engine is fine. It run great while on the work bench with different carb. Carb is Holley Street Avenger 670. Also newish. I soaked needle valves and changed o-rings for them. Fuel level is now good.
Key turns normally. Even good, but that indeed would explain the symptom. Is there easy place that you know where I can measure voltage?
From carb I turned idle screw all the way down and still low rpm on idle and soon it shuts down. Mixture screws are 1,5 turns open as in basic settings. Fuel level is ok in both of the bowls. I haven’t got time to measure vacuum and it haven’t been on operational temp yet
The shop manual has a test for continuity (0 ohms) at the ignition switch cable connector between all the different switch positions. I don’t have the manual for a 71, but they are easy to find.
But an easy test with your voltmeter is to make sure 12V is getting applied from the ignition switch to the left (forward) smaller screw terminal on the front of your starter solenoid (when the switch is in the start position).
I think I found it. I took of the starter motor and tested it connecting from battery + to starter and grounded it from bolt hole to chassis with starter cables. It did nothing. Completely quiet. Is there any other way to test starter motor?
Battery was dead so I replaced it, starter solenoid was dead so I got new one. Can bad starter motor be behind all this?
Then I wonder how that solenoid actually works. I know the principle and actually looked inside one so basic are there. But how turning key to starter motor ignite starter motor? Where does starting ”command” go? It when key is on it gives continious 12v to s terminal. So what changes when key is turned bit further to start position?
Doubtful you had that many components that were bad, sounds like you were just buying stuff. Most auto part stores will test batteries and starters to see if they work - you need to go to one of those. The factory shop manual will give you a wiring schematic but it sounds like you will not understand it so that might be a waste of time.
Battery was old and used for electrolysis purposes before I got welding inverter for that.
Solenoid was bad and that’s a mystery. It was about 3yrs old and cheepiest from Rockauto that I could find. I measured voltage and tested it from battery to ground and connecting S terminal to battery side with a jumper wire. I used that new battery I just bought.
However new solenoid didn’t fix the starting problem. New solenoid works. I know becouse I measured and also checked condition same way that I did with the old one. So I also saw the tests were correctly done. Now there is that starter issue. I have doubts that somehow it is the root cause for the solenoid to brake. I don’t understand how, and that is what I’m asking.
The problem is most of the “rebuilt” auto part starters are brand new ones from China. They are OK but the Bendix drives are horrible, cheap and noisy. If you can find a place that actually rebuilds them and uses USA sourced Bendix drives it would be infinitely better.
