Starter wont engage

[tracy]

At a loss here. 383, 727 auto. Starter clicks hard. 3 new starters same thing. Engine spins by hand. Change ignition switch on fire twice . Same thing. It's like the starter hits the flywheel. I'm at a loss. Any ideals be appreciated

 

[Tony 69]

Negative cable connection on block?

 

[Don Frelier]

1st is good battery.
2nd cables. Both positive and negative.
Try jumping the starter with a heavy wire right in the 2 posts. In park!
Finally you can remove the inspection cover and if you need to use a boroscope on your phone and watch what it's doing

 

[tracy]

Ilk check cables. Good ideal removing inspection cover and watching it

 

[davek]

I chased that gremlin and it was a bad connection to the battery. All looked clean but once I cleaned the posts my car fired right up.

 

[Ron H]

Clicks hard? Just the click or some movement? Any other electrical work done on it recently? With ‘on fire’ ignition switches, there’s a dead short somewhere or wiring crossed. Check for damage around the ignition wire (heat damage/melting) at BH and starter relay

 

[tracy]

Nothing been done

 

[Tony 69]

Do a voltage drop test at starter and work back

 

[hunt2elk]

I had a similar issue a few years ago. Turned out to be a bad connection between the negative battery cable and one of the terminal ends. It was only a couple years old, but was the cheap $30 version.

 

[tonysrt]

Could also be battery. Try jumping car to eliminate the battery. Many years ago a friend had that problem and battery was checked with a battery tester and was told battery was good. Starter changed and same problem, turned out new battery solved it. Some test equipment is not that reliable. By the way battery tester came from a mechanics garage.

 

[Ron H]

Yes, I've had two strange occasions with bad batteries that 'tested' good on wife's car and my tractor using voltmeter. OP's perplexing comment though, is two ignition switches 'on fire' that's odd. Other possible is starter isn't aligned right or other reason for malalignment - had that gremlin once.

 

[tracy]

Thanks everyone, I found it . Corrosion, positive battery up inside the lead terminal. I appreciate all the advice

 

[tonysrt]

Boy did you get away cheap. But the starters cost and installation broke the bank. That happened to me with no tools in the car. Luckily I was at a gas station when it happened, but they had a sign no tools to be lent. I begged and pleaded and got a 1/2" open wrench to reseat the terminals and fired right up. After that I have put every tool in the car so I could even remove and replace the engine. It seems we keep learning by some of our mistakes. I wish I knew 50 years ago the stuff I know now. The only problem is that I don't have that much more time to practice what I've learned and of course all this new computer stuff takes ignorance to a new level.

 

[tracy]

Yep. Simple fix. But embarrassing broke down at gas station

 

[tonysrt]

The strange part is started right up at home , drove 10 miles to station and when I went to restart it said no go. If any sign of trouble at home would have been fixed. Works today tomorrow says no good. It's hard to stay a head of some stuff.

 

[tracy]

Yep, that's what mine did, started fine at home. Filled up with gas , wouldn't start