So some might remember I began installing a 460/5-speed in my 85 awhile back. Well, now its done except it wont start. To give you some info, its a 466 with 9/1 comp backed by a TKO600 5-speed. The hard part was finding a starter so I tried my original 5.0 starter and it bolted it. When I tried starting it, the starter was very slow like if the battery was low. I tried 3 batteries and even a jump but the same problem. Then I thought maybe the 5.0 starter was too weak so I tried a 460 starter from a torino 460/4-speed but it wouldnt even bolt in. Then I tried a starter from a 460/5-speed truck and it bolted in but with the same affect. I thought maybe since the battery is mounted behind the pass. seat the cable was too long so I threw on some jumper cables to go from the solenoid to the battery but the same thing. Then I thought maybe the battery ground was bad, so again I aided with the jumpers to add 2 more ground sources but the same affect. Could a bad solenoid cause this. 3 batteries, extra grounding wires, 2 starters and nothing. I thought the engine was too tight but it turns like any other engine with a breaker bar. I cant figure it out. I thought if the solenoid was bad it would either stay closed or stay open, not make the signal weak to the starter. Can you guys think of anything. Everything is done except this. I'd post some pictures but everytime I ask people how to do it on here, nobody answers or they laugh so thanks for the help on that one.
460 in 5.0 wont start for the life of me!!
- Thread starter SmockDoiley
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Since I know that you are smarter than the average bear, I will skip some of the introductory stuff and give you something definite to chase.
A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem. Do the measurements while you are trying to crank the engine.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103 for help
A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem. Do the measurements while you are trying to crank the engine.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103 for help
Ive got a meter, but Im a bit of a loner so its going to be difficult to do the testing while Im cranking unless I rig up a starter switch. Thank you though. I work at Advance part time so Im going to buy a solenoid since it'll be cheap and I dont know how old the old one is. If that doesnt do it, Ill have to drag someone into the lair and try those tests.
Someone told me if the flywheel and the starter are too close it could do that, but 2 starters are doing it and I thought it just wouldnt engage or the starter teeth would get stuck when withdrawing but that all seems fine. If that is the case, then I have more serious problems like getting a flywheel. I think its an electrical problem though.
1991vert
10 Year Member
1991vert
10 Year Member
if you had a bad ground to the starter it wouldn't start at all.
not like that happened to me or anything
not like that happened to me or anything
Smock, are you running the stock starter solenoid (on the fender, if they had them there is '85)? It sounds like it. If so, you can do the voltmeter testing by using the solenoid to crank the motor over.
And if you have the stock solenoid, what happens if you touch the slide-on terminal to the battery lug, vs jumping the two big lugs? Like I said, you probably dont even have or use a fender solenoid.....but that is what came to mind.
Good luck with it bud.
And if you have the stock solenoid, what happens if you touch the slide-on terminal to the battery lug, vs jumping the two big lugs? Like I said, you probably dont even have or use a fender solenoid.....but that is what came to mind.
Good luck with it bud.
z9_87
New Member
The battery normaly grounds to the chasis, and the block is normaly grounded to the chasis also.vristang said:I thought the battery was supposed to ground to the block.
Am I way off base here?
This could very well be the problem since the block is the source of ground for the starter?
85s do use a fender mount solenoid and thats what I'm using. I bought some more cable, and Im going to make a new long ground cable and bolt it to the block. I also bought a new solenoid, and yes I have the grounding strap going from the block to the body. Lets hope its a grounding problem and this fixes it. I'll let you know. I hope this thing fires up because I havent even broken the engine in yet.
Well, now the starter isnt even turning over, its just making this humming electrical noise. I'm starting to think its a flywheel/starter clearance problem. The flywheel I bought is some odd ring gear nobody uses and I cant find the exact starter to use. I think these starters are getting too close to the flywheel and its too much binding for the starter to overcome. Solution now is to get a 176 tooth flywheel and a 176 starter which is a common size.
The batteries I have tried are an optima drycell, a 650 cca, and a 750 cca. I've tried 3 different grounding spots with 3 different cables, 2 different starter cables, 3 different starters(2 brand new), engine cranks with breaker bar just fine, 2 starter solenoids, and a partridge in a pear tree.
The batteries I have tried are an optima drycell, a 650 cca, and a 750 cca. I've tried 3 different grounding spots with 3 different cables, 2 different starter cables, 3 different starters(2 brand new), engine cranks with breaker bar just fine, 2 starter solenoids, and a partridge in a pear tree.
z9_87
New Member
I also liked the compression start idea, but if this is a new motor on its first fire, I dont think I would be doing that.
Smock, only you know whatcha got for a flywheel ring gear and starter so that sounds good to me (wouldnt it be nice if you could pull the starter and swap the bendix to match it with your ring gear instead?
).
Good luck bud.
Smock, only you know whatcha got for a flywheel ring gear and starter so that sounds good to me (wouldnt it be nice if you could pull the starter and swap the bendix to match it with your ring gear instead?
).Good luck bud.
z9_87
New Member
You can can't you, if you tear the starter apart? I've never torn a starter apart but it seems as if you could.
Try turning the motor over by hand (ignition off) to ensure that nothing is in a mechanical bind.
Take a look to see if there is a meshing problem. You should be able to see some damage if there is a mesh problem.
Take a look to see if there is a meshing problem. You should be able to see some damage if there is a mesh problem.
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