Unreliable starting

[funknut]

Been struggling with this off and on for a while now.

Car has been down for some upgrades/maintenance since last summer.   Finally got it back on its wheels and now fighting a problem with starting.  No electrical changes during that time, so I'm a little perplexed.

Car will start intermittently.  It usually goes something like this:

- After car's been sitting for a while (an hour or more).  Key on and start and it will crank over just fine.  No apparent problems.  Takes several cranks to fire, but it will start and idle just fine.
- If I turn off the car or it dies for whatever reason, 2nd or 3rd time I attempt to start I very often get either a rapid click at the starter, or sometimes nothing, not even a click at the solenoid.
- No matter what I seem to do, I can't seem to get it to crank over.  Connected a jump pack, still no joy.

Newer Bosch battery, less than 18 mos old.  I kept the battery disconnected and on a tender most of the time since last summer.  Took the battery in and it tested bad, they sent me home with a new one that tested good.  Still same issue.

Starter is a Powermaster mini starter.  Similar vintage as the battery.  Probably 15 mos old.

Looking for troubleshooting tips.  At this point I think I need to rule out:

- starter relay (original)
- positive battery cable? (original)
- possibly starter itself?

Anything else I'm missing?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Clay

[68CoronetRT]

I wonder if the gear mesh in the starter is hanging up? Rapid click would mean dead battery or not enough juice to turn the motor over. Nothing at all could mean the solenoid is bad. Or maybe when the solenoid gets warm from the under hood temps it just starts to fail. Need to bust out a volt meter and start checking voltages.

[303 Mopar]

The starter could be hot or loose.  I had this happen on my 505, just re-torqued the bolts and good to go!

[funknut]

Thanks guys for the suggestions.

I went over the positive battery cable and it's pretty beat up.  The connector has some pretty deep gouges and possibly a crack forming, so I've ordered a new one.  When I install it (hopefully this weekend), I'll go through all the connections this and make sure nothing got knocked loose.

[lukedukem]

My car did this once. Started fine first time. Then stopped to get parts at dealership for truck and just s hard click. Thought it was starter so I tapped on it while cranking. Nothing. Luckily the parts manager at the dealer is an old school mopar guy. He came out and told me to remove batttery ground and clean it real good at both ends. Fired  fine after that. Not saying this is your issue, but it's worth a shot. I too replaced my positive cable at that time, sounds like mine was in shape your is in now.

Luke

[whitehatspecial]

Thanks guys for the suggestions.

I went over the positive battery cable and it's pretty beat up.  The connector has some pretty deep gouges and possibly a crack forming, so I've ordered a new one.  When I install it (hopefully this weekend), I'll go through all the connections this and make sure nothing got knocked loose.

You may be on the right track. I replaced both my cables and the problems went away. The factory original ground cable is woefully undersized and both cables were susceptible to corrosion.

[funknut]

Finally got things patched up!

I replaced the starter solenoid, disconnected the bulkhead connections and sprayed them down really well with electrical contact cleaner, then disconnected the battery cables and gave them a thorough cleaning.  Cranks over every time and seems to start much quicker than it used to.

I have a positive battery cable here that I'll be installing on a rainy weekend, but for now I'm out and driving.

I spent some time on the bulkhead connectors and there are some really crusty ones that need to be replaced.  I'm planning a full rewire this winter, so for now I'll probably replace the 3 worst ones and drill out the fusible link connection and hard-wire that one for now.

Thanks, everyone, for the input.