won't start when cold
12-07-05, 12:20 PM
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won't start when cold
hey guys, my 83 has a wierd problem.
when it is nice and warm out like in summer it starts up fine every time.
but now that the weather has gotten a bit chilly the starter doesnt engage.
it spins up alright, but it doesnt kick out into the flywheel.
it should be mentioned that i have rewired the starter to run on a push-button on the dashboard.
im not 100% sure the battery is good. but i think i replaced it last year.
starters arent cheap and so i have been roll-starting it since it got cold but today it started snowing pretty good so im not sure i will be able to start it this way for a while.
any suggestions? or do you think the button wiring may not be thick enough?
i can't figure why it would not start only when its cold out unless maybe the battery doesnt have enough power to kick the starter out, but i would have thought that the most power would be drawn by the spinning part and not the kicking-out part. of course, i am mostly retarded and i don't know how the starter engages itself anyway. perhaps it is thrown out by the spinning action and it isnt turning fast enough to throw it out? hmm... i think i will try jumpstarting it tonight to see if this helps...
when it is nice and warm out like in summer it starts up fine every time.
but now that the weather has gotten a bit chilly the starter doesnt engage.
it spins up alright, but it doesnt kick out into the flywheel.
it should be mentioned that i have rewired the starter to run on a push-button on the dashboard.
im not 100% sure the battery is good. but i think i replaced it last year.
starters arent cheap and so i have been roll-starting it since it got cold but today it started snowing pretty good so im not sure i will be able to start it this way for a while.
any suggestions? or do you think the button wiring may not be thick enough?
i can't figure why it would not start only when its cold out unless maybe the battery doesnt have enough power to kick the starter out, but i would have thought that the most power would be drawn by the spinning part and not the kicking-out part. of course, i am mostly retarded and i don't know how the starter engages itself anyway. perhaps it is thrown out by the spinning action and it isnt turning fast enough to throw it out? hmm... i think i will try jumpstarting it tonight to see if this helps...
12-07-05, 02:45 PM
#3
buzzzzz!-ook!-buzzzzz!
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if jumping doesn't solve the problem, remove and rebuild the starter.
after removing the starter, take off the aluminum gear shell and remove the solenoid. the grease in the solenoid is probably shiteed out, and will sieze up in the cold. clean with brake or carb cleaner and re-grease with a good all purpose, all temp grease, and give it a test fire on the bench. re-assemble and enjoy.
btw: i feel your pain, i did a starter last year in the winter.
after removing the starter, take off the aluminum gear shell and remove the solenoid. the grease in the solenoid is probably shiteed out, and will sieze up in the cold. clean with brake or carb cleaner and re-grease with a good all purpose, all temp grease, and give it a test fire on the bench. re-assemble and enjoy.
btw: i feel your pain, i did a starter last year in the winter.
12-07-05, 08:10 PM
#4
wankel wankel
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Originally Posted by VashtheStampede
hey guys, my 83 has a wierd problem.
when it is nice and warm out like in summer it starts up fine every time.
but now that the weather has gotten a bit chilly the starter doesnt engage.
it spins up alright, but it doesnt kick out into the flywheel.
it should be mentioned that i have rewired the starter to run on a push-button on the dashboard.
im not 100% sure the battery is good. but i think i replaced it last year.
starters arent cheap and so i have been roll-starting it since it got cold but today it started snowing pretty good so im not sure i will be able to start it this way for a while.
any suggestions? or do you think the button wiring may not be thick enough?
i can't figure why it would not start only when its cold out unless maybe the battery doesnt have enough power to kick the starter out, but i would have thought that the most power would be drawn by the spinning part and not the kicking-out part. of course, i am mostly retarded and i don't know how the starter engages itself anyway. perhaps it is thrown out by the spinning action and it isnt turning fast enough to throw it out? hmm... i think i will try jumpstarting it tonight to see if this helps...
when it is nice and warm out like in summer it starts up fine every time.
but now that the weather has gotten a bit chilly the starter doesnt engage.
it spins up alright, but it doesnt kick out into the flywheel.
it should be mentioned that i have rewired the starter to run on a push-button on the dashboard.
im not 100% sure the battery is good. but i think i replaced it last year.
starters arent cheap and so i have been roll-starting it since it got cold but today it started snowing pretty good so im not sure i will be able to start it this way for a while.
any suggestions? or do you think the button wiring may not be thick enough?
i can't figure why it would not start only when its cold out unless maybe the battery doesnt have enough power to kick the starter out, but i would have thought that the most power would be drawn by the spinning part and not the kicking-out part. of course, i am mostly retarded and i don't know how the starter engages itself anyway. perhaps it is thrown out by the spinning action and it isnt turning fast enough to throw it out? hmm... i think i will try jumpstarting it tonight to see if this helps...
MINE'S IN THE SHOP AT THE MOMENT AS WE JUST GOT OUR FIRST NASTY SNOW (6-7 INCHES TODAY, MORE TONIGHT) AND AS IT GOT COLDER, SHE REFUSED TO HIT THE FLYWHEEL.... THANKS FOR THE TIP... I'LL TELL THEM WHAT TO DO...
NO GARAGE, NO SHOP TO WORK IN!
11-29-07, 06:58 PM
#6
wankel wankel
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re: won't start when cold
so... two years ago, like I posted, it was nasty out and I had no place to work, just paid to have the car fixed.... which included getting a rebuilt starter installed, came from NAPA.
So here I am two years later and she's doing the same thing as the last one did...
I brought up this old post and did as suggested... pulled starter off, solenoid off, and sure enough, there were barely two tiny little spots of grease left over in the solenoid - no wonder it hadn't been engaging...
regreased after cleaning... reinstalled... went to start and now it does the same frigging thing.... solenoid won't engage... but the starter will spin all day
Guess I'm left to pull the solenoid off and test it.
Help me out if I'm missing anything obvious here... she's always cranked over, just not actually engaged the flywheel when it's cold... thought for sure it was just the lack of grease, but that's been replaced.
Charging the battery to 100% at the moment... trying again...
...and we're back... no luck.
Thoughts? Rumors?
So here I am two years later and she's doing the same thing as the last one did...
I brought up this old post and did as suggested... pulled starter off, solenoid off, and sure enough, there were barely two tiny little spots of grease left over in the solenoid - no wonder it hadn't been engaging...
regreased after cleaning... reinstalled... went to start and now it does the same frigging thing.... solenoid won't engage... but the starter will spin all day
Guess I'm left to pull the solenoid off and test it.
Help me out if I'm missing anything obvious here... she's always cranked over, just not actually engaged the flywheel when it's cold... thought for sure it was just the lack of grease, but that's been replaced.
Charging the battery to 100% at the moment... trying again...
...and we're back... no luck.
Thoughts? Rumors?
11-30-07, 12:03 AM
#7
Lock up the liqour!
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If the solenoid is worn this temp shift could cause it not to engage because the contacts inside have shrunk and are no longer contacting. I dont think the grease would have anything to do with it.
I used my rx to deliver pizzas for a bit. And the starter would whine after I restarted the motor after it got hot. My guess is that it was because the metal expanded.
I used my rx to deliver pizzas for a bit. And the starter would whine after I restarted the motor after it got hot. My guess is that it was because the metal expanded.
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11-30-07, 04:36 AM
#8
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Mine always did the same thing in the cold. I cleaned up the connections at the starter, ground, and battery (actually replaced the + cable) and it has worked fine ever since.
Since the aluminum battery cables that came with the car are prone to corrosion, and should be replaced anyway, this is definitely the place to start (no pun intended).
Since the aluminum battery cables that came with the car are prone to corrosion, and should be replaced anyway, this is definitely the place to start (no pun intended).
12-01-07, 08:31 PM
#9
wankel wankel
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installed rebuilt starter in the rain.
gotta love kansas weather.
humms beautifully now...
THIS time got one w/a lifetime warrany... next to take the core back for my 20 bucks.
would have been nice if the last one had a warranty...
hindsight, right?
gotta love kansas weather.
humms beautifully now...
THIS time got one w/a lifetime warrany... next to take the core back for my 20 bucks.
would have been nice if the last one had a warranty...
hindsight, right?
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