Hi guys,

My first time posting in this forum. Got a question for my '77 E100 van, I know this is the truck forum, but it's engine/starting system related, so same as trucks, more traffic here.


Heres my problem, I have a new Starter, starter fender solenoid, new cables (previous owner install), and good battery.

Turn the key, got full power, turn to start, all it does it clunk (like a heavy click).




This whole problem started ever since I did the clutch on the van few months ago (3 on the tree). Everything went great, put everything back together, and starter worked 4 times afterwards, first time like new, 2nd time a lil slower, 3rd time cranked really slow and just caught, and 4th time, it did 1 rotation and did click.


Afterwords I took the wire off the starter, put a bigger bolt on, tighter, and it worked fine again for a day, then again, cranked slower and slower till nothing.


Hasn't started since.


Before replacing the starter, I messed around abit more with the cable, and got it to very very slower turn over, half turns, and a couple full turns before it clicks and does nothing.


I've replaced everything, what the heck can the problem be?

Could it be a ground? Where if so??

 

Have you verified the battery is good? Have you cleaned and tightened all connections? Where on the starter did you install a "bigger" bolt?

 

Ground cables tend to corrode from the inside and can be unseen. I would check your ground cable really good before replacing any parts.

 

If it worked OK before the clutch work there may be a problem there. Might pull the plugs and turn the motor over by hand to see if there is a bind.


Welcome to the forum and good luck with it

 

Battery is good, I will check ground cable to engine tomorrow if it doesn't rain, that's the only thing I haven't checked yet.


Cables are a year old, ground and power.


The bigger bolt was in the old starter for the power cable, cause the old hole was stripped, anyways it's gone now.

Engine is fine, I drove over 40 miles with the new clutch already that first day I did it.

 

If cables check out good. ... could be a crappy "new" starter . Seen it before . Crap parts nowadays .

 

Found the problem!!!


When I pulled the tranny, I had to remove the starter, and I shoved up the starter cable up above the manifold heat shield.


Well it never came back down, and cable was still long enough to reach the starter, anyways, it was rubbing on a corner and it wore through the insulation, and the cable was grounding out on the heat shield.

I put some liquid electrical tape on it for now, and passed it under the heat shield. Problem solved, fires right up!!

 

Glad you found your problem ..