my starter makes this weird clicking noise before it turns over.
its like click click click click then it starts.
anyone know what this is?

 

check the connections at the battery for tightness and cleanliness. next check the ground on the left front strut tower for the same. then, disconnect the battery, raise the car, get under it and check the connections at the starter. check the solenoid wire, the nut on the power wire under the boot as well as the ground on the bellhousing.

 

Definitely sounds like a connection issue.

does it turn over slowly?

 

Sounds like you need one of those $4 wirebrushes that cleans the ID of the cable clamp and the OD of the battery terminal post.

 

Yep, clean up all of the connections and consider replacing your battery cables.

 

In Hawaii he probably doesn't need to replace the old aluminum cables, although it's a good idea in very cold climates.

I was having a starting problem with my SE a couple weeks ago, it just seemed to be getting progressively more unenthusiastic for the last week or so, so I took my $10 digital voltmeter and went around the high-current system looking for a voltage drop that was too high and would defeat the starter.

First I cleaned the clamp to post interface with my wirebrush, just because it's so easy and usually solves electrical mysteries.

I wanted to measure the drop between battery post and cable clamp so, since I was single-handing this, I drilled a small shallow hole in the center of each battery post and threaded in a small screw so I'd have a place to attach an alligator clip. Then I attached the voltmeter alligator clips to the small screw and the clamp cinch bolt, tried the starter, and noted the voltage drop, which was about 0.20v. for each. As I went around the circuit looking for excessive drops on the cables and at the connection points (including the ground connections) it was always about that value. I was also able to confirm that the open-circuit battery voltage was about 12.4v., dropping to 8-9v. while cranking.

That cranking voltage seems ambiguous, to me. Maybe it signifies too big a drop in the system or a battery in poor condition. I checked the battery with a hydrometer, and all 4 ***** floated, indicating a good charge. But the fluid level was low, although still above the plates it was not up to the lower edge of the guide. So I added distilled water (about 28 oz., which is a LOT!) and put on the 2 Amp trickle charger for an overnight charge. the charging voltage was 13.9v.

Next day I gave it a try (each cell floats 2-4 ***** in the hydrometer, which is good enough) and the battery shows 12.5v. open circuit with the charger disconnected. Turned the key and the voltage drops to 12.1v. and there is NO CLICK from the solenoid. Obviously the solenoid is now kaput.

So I figure that what happened is that the commutator started shorting out, possibly the result of a badly worn nose bushing, which caused excessive current draw, resulting in the low 8-9v. voltage I measured while cranking. That excess current draw progressively deteriorated the solenoid until it failed.

I'm not surprised. That starter is one I pulled from a JY car for $15 4 years ago and I've put 30k on it since then. When I was younger I would have overhauled the starter with a $15 kit, but I'm getting lazy in my old age and so I called Kohlweiss (the only place I'll trust for any kind of rebuld) and they had a couple on the shelf for $90 so I got it and 45 minutes later it was installed and working. Been working fine for over a week now.

Just out of curiosity I'm going to check that cranking voltage today. I'm also going to check the coil voltage since a guy on another thread is having problems with his engine not running and he reported 9v. at the coils, which doesn't sound right to me.

Oh yeah, I might point out that all this testing and trying required turning the engine on and off several times in a short period of time, thus violating some guys rules about avoiding SE flooding. Gee whiz, I wonder why I don't have that problem? Could it be the assiduous use of MMO to clean fuel and lube the engine? Could it be the much disparaged Autolite 2626s I have in that engine? And this was a car that would fail to start 10% of the time when I adopted it 4 years ago. I was even pricing new injectors then, but not anymore.

YMMV.

 

I put the joltmeter on the battery posts before starting today and got the following voltages:

before starting: 12.1 v.
1st key position: 11.7 v.
while cranking: 10.4 v.
while running: 13.5 v.

coil voltages while running:
firewall side screw post: 13.6 v. (Leading and trailing coils)
radiator side screw post: 12.5 v. (Leading and trailing coils)

This is a stock 85SE with 170k that starts instantly and runs smoothly.

 

mm i replaced cables and terminals already might have to clean the ground connections etc. voltage is also good.

 

clean the grounds, check the connections at the starter. if all is well there, pull the starter and have it tested.