Starter Issues

[Scott Buwalda]

Hey guys,

My RB26/S14 wiring is complete, and I went to start it a few days ago.

"click click click....cliiiiiiiiick" is all the starter does.

The starter has been freshly rebuilt.

14 volts showing on the battery courtesy full-time power supply.

The crank shaft was advanced manually at the crank pulley. The engine is not "stuck" or seized.

Box turns freely with clutch in.

WTF?

Perhaps the starter rebuild is faulty? After gearing on it for three or four seconds, the magic smoke appears emanating from the starter location (although the starter is not getting hot). Ideas?

TIA,

Scott

Scott

[gawdzilla]

pop the starter out and take it to your local auto store. the ones around me (advance auto parts) tests them for free. that will help you eliminate one item. make sure the solenoid engages AND te starter spins

while the starter is out, check the gears on the starter and see if they are worn.

[Joe]

the voltage you are reading is the STATIC voltage of the battery, you need to look at the voltage when you try to start the car, thats called the loaded reading.

just because it reads fully charged when its sitting there dosent mean its a good battery. ive seen them be 100% charged and drop below 1 volt when you load them down.

take it to vatozone/checker and have it tested.

[Ramius83]

And Scott, if it ends up being the starter, my best friend who actually helped me on my RB26 swap works at an alternator/starter rebuild place. It is called Sleepy Hollow Rebuilders or something like that. He did my RB26 starter personally for about 20 bucks. Packed it with new contacts, grease, checked the coils, etc......They are off of 20 going towards Canton. About 15-20 minutes from your house.

[Slo_240sx]

Voltage shouldn't drop below 9.6 volts load testing the starter.-Alex

[Scott Buwalda]

Naw, it's not the battery. It's a brand new Optima. Not only that, but my power supply (used for car shows and car stereo competitions) spikes to 60 amps on demand. The starter pulls less than 60 amps. Sad part is, the starter's been rebuilt once already to the tune of $125.00. Ramius, can your boy hook me up with a good price to look at the starter again? I have a few other things to check, like my relay...I am using an aftermarket relay that *might* not be allowing enough current to spin the starter at full load. But I really think the starter rebuild was bogus.

Scott

[Ramius83]

Scott. Call me when you get this. Cell phone. (404) 372-4730. I talked to him. He said he will take a look at it for you. I'll hook you up with the price.....BTW, do you know how to check the timing with a timing gun? I am completely clueless to this. I have bought two timing guns and both of them will not flash or anything.....

[Scott Buwalda]

Update---

I completely bypassed all of my electronics and wiring and tried something earlier. I ran an 8 gauge wire from the starter solenoid straight to the battery's terminal post. With accessory on, and tapping the solenoid the power, nothing, just click, click, click. And running a voltmeter, the voltage never dropped below 12.3 volts. Starter's toast.

Ramius, I will call you tomorrow mang, I am dead beat tired and just want to vegetate in front of the tube.

Scott

[JonPowell]

the inductive pickup should connect to the loop near the igniter and cause the gun to flash when the cyl 1 fires....the more retarded reading is correct

[Ramius83]

the inductive pickup should connect to the loop near the igniter and cause the gun to flash when the cyl 1 fires....the more retarded reading is correct

BTW Jon, another quick question for you.

The only "loop" of wire that I see near the ignitor is a black wire, that has a ring connector on it that seems to be grounded to the ignitor. Is this the right wire to use for the pick-up?

And there seems to be a discrepency. Some peeps on Skylines Australia set base timing at 16 degrees, while others are putting it at 20 degrees, like the FSM states. Any insight?

[JonPowell]

Negative, that is NOT the correct wire.

Here is naother way to hook the inductive pickup, pull back the sheathing on the 3 wires leading to coil #1....put the pickup on the trigger wire of that. That should do it for ya!