More starter woes, or is it?

My direct drive Delco (early 70's vintage, I believe, with a cast iron nose) is working fine about 90% of the time. The other 10% I get nothing at all, I don't think I'm even getting a solenoid click. At first I thought I was getting solenoid click, but I think I'm hearing my aux battery relay, i.e. when I turn starter switch to run, relay is triggered to connect the two batteries, but when I go all the way to start, I think it clicks again to disconnect them. (Let me know if I'm wrong here) Anyway last time it happened I had to cycle key to start about five times and then it started fine. When it was happening, radio, wipers, headlights, etc. worked fine and headlights did NOT dim at all when I turned key to start. Weird thing is it's happening much more often when it's wet out: it's happened when it sat out in the rain for a couple hours, and another time just after I had washed the rig.

Things I'm considering:

Solenoid (actually picking one up tomorrow - they're cheap)
Ignition switch
Key switch/lock cylinder
Starter trigger (purple) wire

Other things to consider?

My Burb had the very same symptoms and it ended up being a bad connection at the solenoid stud for the purple wire. Although, it was because the PO neglected to thread the nut on the stud when the new starter was put on.

bucket said:

My Burb had the very same symptoms and it ended up being a bad connection at the solenoid stud for the purple wire. Although, it was because the PO neglected to thread the nut on the stud when the new starter was put on.

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Yeah, I'm thinking it's the solenoid or the trigger wire connection at the solenoid. That old delco is in pretty good shape but the bakelite cap on the end of the solenoid sustained some damage at some point in it's life and there was a small chip missing. I sealed it up with some silicone before I installed it, but I should have just replaced the thing. Picked one up at Autozone today for $20. Hecho en China, but still seems like decent quality and it's the correct longer length that matches what I have now.

Delco starter question: in looking around on Rock Auto for various starters and solenoids, I noticed that some vintages the starters were different for auto vs. manual. Why? Just the general shape of the bellhousing, or something else? The starter I'm using is approx vintage '72 and I noticed for that year the manual versions were cast iron nose while the auto versions were aluminum nose. Mine is cast iron, but I have an auto, but it works perfectly (except when it doesn't work at all).

EDIT: maybe the difference is just the tooth count on the flywheel/flex plate??? I have a 168 tooth flexplate but maybe the autos from that vintage used 153 tooth?

The tooth count will depend on the application.

Fwiw, I put a '99 5.7 starter on my Burb and put the still new looking starter on the shelf. It cranks wonderfully at all times.

Ive never bought a new starter ever... lol ive only ever broke one once, i turned the key and the nose blew off.

78c10bigten said:

Ive never bought a new starter ever... lol ive only ever broke one once, i turned the key and the nose blew off.

Click to expand...

Funny, same thing happened to Jack Nicholson once.

My starter issues ended up being the ignition switch. The copper contact and springs wear out with age and arc internally. Its a pita to get to the switch (on the steering column top behind the dash)......but its an inexpensive part that does wear out. Many people assume its a starter or battery issue and forget about the switch.