gremlins suck!starter help/advise needed.

[jones]

the truck was running fine one day,then i tried to start it the next and nothing.no clicky.have dash lights and such,but nothing at the starter.there's power down there,though.I touched the battery wire to the header(before i remembered to disconnect the battery)and got sparks.after i pulled the starter,i ran a cable to the larger post on the starter from the -bat.post and to the "s"post off the +batt.post.it actuated the plunger momentarily then stopped.
so,this morning i pulled the solenoid off the starter that I pulled off the truck(I have 2 starters,tested both the same way with the same results)the tan thing on the inside where the spring sits against doesn't appear to be burned,but i don't know if i had it completely apart.i'm going to have them both tested tomorrow and hopefully be able to figure it out.it's my understanding that there a fusible links to the starter.how many are there and what gauge are they.i'm in there already anyway so i might as well change them while i'm there.electrical is not my forte',so your help would be appreciated.

 

[Ned Kelly]

While your down there, maybe do this conversion. It helps prevent the heat soak that can lock up the gm starter selenoid. You can buy the copper buss bar at many starter repair shops for $1 or so.
http://www.novaresource.org/starter.htm
It's a very worthwhile modification and cheap to do.

Here's an illustration of the copper buss bar, it goes between items labelled as 'B' and 'I' on the starter selenoid.
http://www.thirdgen.org/solenoid

 

[dyeager535]

Fusible links are between the starter and the firewall/cab. The smaller red wire(s) running of the battery post on the starter are the ones that have the fusible links.

I suppose if one link was dead the purple start wire may not have power, but that would seem unlikely if everything else on the truck electrical appears to work. Voltage is to the starter directly from the battery, so you've proven the starter is getting SOME batt voltage. (if the battery cable isn't shot internally)

You can test the starter yourself, but with no load. Let me see if I can get this straight. Ground the starter case to a battery, run 12V from the battery to the batt terminal on the starter, then hit the start terminal with 12V from the same battery. That should kick the bendix out and spin the starter motor.

I don't trust those store tests, I don't think they accurately simulate vehicle voltage and load. I've been told too many times that electrical components are "good" after their "professional" machines test them, when I know full well the component is dead. Darn lifetime warranties.

 

[jones]

I'm still slightly confused but I'm sure I can figure it out while I'm looking at it.thanks for the info.are the fusible links absolutely necessary?forgot one question.how many grounds are there.from reading another post...1)cylinder head to frame(non-existant at this point)all I have right now is a battery cable from the power steering pump bracket to the frame.do you think that's even doing any good?

 

[NewUser]

does it have a starter switch mounted up on the bottom of the steering column under the dash?...if it is bad or out of adjustment that will also give you power but no start

it will have a rod going down thru the column from the lock cylinder to a rectangular shaped switch with a wiring harness plugging into it

 

[jones]

does it have a starter switch mounted up on the bottom of the steering column under the dash?...if it is bad or out of adjustment that will also give you power but no start

it will have a rod going down thru the column from the lock cylinder to a rectangular shaped switch with a wiring harness plugging into it

I really don't know about that.it's an '84 if that tells ya anything.

 

[Chevy305]

I had the same problem. It turned out to just be a bad pos+ battery cable. so $7ish later my truck was up and running again. I suggest at least cleaning your battery terminals very well. Same thing happened to my sister's car too, and turned out to just be dirty battery terminals.

 

[NewUser]

look underneath the dash at the steering column and look for a block that looks like this

look and see if the connections are burnt or corroded if so then replace it

 

[dyeager535]

Grounds on mine are pretty simple.

- Batt cable to alternator bracket. Braided flat copper ground from back of passenger head to firewall. Ground from - batt cable to core support and frame.