Weird starting issue UPDATE

[cegammel]

I'll check that solenoid in the morning, but it felt tight during installation. I have a few other issues that crept in during the same fateful starter death incident: 1) Oil pressure light now comes on and burns brightly at idle after the engine is fully warm. It goes right out when I tap the accelerator, but consistently comes back on, and 2) my silly van just freaking died at the bottom of the driveway. It did its now-normal-starting grind thing, fired right up, idled nicely, then died. After several (probably too many) seconds of cranking and pumping the gas, it puttered back to life and ran like a champ. I first thought that it was flooded, but since pumping got it to start, that sounds unlikely. So, to return to my 'bad-fuel-pump-causing-slow-starter-spin...' Is that possible? It seems that that would solve those two issues... Sorry to bombard this poor starter forum...

[cegammel]

Solenoid is tight, unfortunately... i think my problem is more serious.

[Amskeptic]

Solenoid is tight, unfortunately... i think my problem is more serious.

Check the rotation of the engine itself. Does it rotate freely, or is there drag? Oil pressure and starting issues with a good starter and healthy battery makes me think of internal issues . . .
Colin

[cegammel]

Me too. I have started working on my spare engine.

[72Hardtop]

How old is your ignition switch?

[cegammel]

34 years... Can the switch assembly be repaired? I cleaned the steering column grounds and wiper switch connections, but not the ignition.

[Amskeptic]

34 years... Can the switch assembly be repaired? I cleaned the steering column grounds and wiper switch connections, but not the ignition.

Yes. But if you are trying to diagnose a no-start, if the starter reacts to the key being turned to the start position, if the engine turns over, if the coil gets 12 volts in the on position, don't be blaming the switch.

You can clean the internal contacts, use dielectric grease, try to get the springs and contacts all back together and press the potmetal tabs down onto the plastic as firmly as you can to hold it together against the spring-loaded contacts, but . . . why? If your electrical test at the wires coming into the MPC are good, I'd leave the switch be.
Colin

[cegammel]

Just a quick update:

The starter, an AC Delco sold by Rockauto, has the wrong bendix...The Bosch OE starter has small apses cut into the bendix between the drive teeth; the AC Delco does not. I think that this was the cause of my grindings. Because I carried the new starter as a spare in the van for about 4 months before installing, Rockauto would no longer take it back (understandably...I guess). Is it possible for a layman to remove the bendix from the old, worn out Bosch, and replace the one on the AC? For the meantime, I've got a NAPA store brand starter on it, which has worked fine for 150 miles.

So, the starting issue was not internal, just a crappy starter. The bottomed out oil pressure, on the other hand, necessitated a rebuild. I also replaced the ignition, just to be sure (for 8 bucks, why not?). Has anyone added a secondary and direct ground wire to the starter? Will this help with hot starting? Even my new starter spins slower when the engine is hot than when cold.

[Amskeptic]

Just a quick update:

The starter, an AC Delco sold by Rockauto, has the wrong bendix...The Bosch OE starter has small apses cut into the bendix between the drive teeth; the AC Delco does not. I think that this was the cause of my grindings. Because I carried the new starter as a spare in the van for about 4 months before installing, Rockauto would no longer take it back (understandably...I guess). Is it possible for a layman to remove the bendix from the old, worn out Bosch, and replace the one on the AC? For the meantime, I've got a NAPA store brand starter on it, which has worked fine for 150 miles.

So, the starting issue was not internal, just a crappy starter. The bottomed out oil pressure, on the other hand, necessitated a rebuild. I also replaced the ignition, just to be sure (for 8 bucks, why not?). Has anyone added a secondary and direct ground wire to the starter? Will this help with hot starting? Even my new starter spins slower when the engine is hot than when cold.

If they sold you a wrong starter, they should supply you with a correct starter. You could yell about damaged ring gear teeth and having to hire a mechanic to replace your now damaged flywheel because they sold you the wrong starter.

Forget any games with wiring. Put in a correct starter a .7 hp Bosch starter that is designed to work with the oem electrical wiring with no amperage bottlenecks. Assume that, as you stray from the original suppliers, you also stray from correct functioning. Heck, it is dicey enough even with the correct parts.
Colin