Thick starter cable melting!

Ok, I'll fiddle with it. Thanks Glenn!

 

[fingers in ears]"LALALALALAAA LA LA LA LA LAAAAA"[/fingers in ears]

 

What about trying to roll it over with out the plugs in that would give you an idea about the possible bind in the clutch area. Just a thought

 

Us farm type boys had a trick we used when we had a starter or battery problems. We would always park on hill and would point the front of the jeep down hill.

When we needed to go somewhere we could get in and let it start rolling and when it got up to about 5 mph we would let the clutch out in second gear and she would start up. This was only used until we could get the problem fixed. It was also good way to sneak the jeep out at night...... without waking up some sleeping parents............... hearing us (my twin brother and I ) leave the house.

Not that you would want to do this, however your problem helped me to take a little "memory lane trip" back to the 50's and 60's some 40 years ago R) Those were the days

Regards
Cliff

 

Brian that sounds like it! That'd explain why it stops RIGHT NOW when I turn the key off...because the spark fires prior to the piston reaching TDC, thus disrupting the mo' of each crank. Thus explaining the hot starter cable.

Can't wait to tinker widdit tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!!
-Alan

 

Hey, careful there, I resemble that
Riding a one owner '66, first jeep was a '54 military CJ5

Cheers,
Van

 

Well that didn't work. I even took the entire distributor out and it still turned slow and uneven. Now I've got all 6 plugs out with some PB blaster in there. It actually turned over nicely w/out all the plugs in. Any ideas what that could mean? I'm going to install them one at a time and start 'er up (dist is back in). Maybe I've got a bad cylinder or bank.....

 

Hippo: Might be time for a compression test. But I don't think that would have anything to do with your cable overheating.

 

Thanks Glenn and Jim for your continued help.

I removed the oil pump and oil pan/baffle, and still get the slow, uneven cranking. I had Natalie (g'friend) turn the key while I peered up into the crankcase. That was a neat experience, and I heard bits of air sucked in & out on each cylinder (plugs all installed). Neat! Fortunately there was nothing obvious with any of the pistons or crank, so I'm putting pan and a new oil pump back in. I accidentally left the key in "ON", and almost burnt my hand on the starter. That's a clue that it's got to be an electrical prob. That I can track down and solve now that I have "become one" with the V6.

Interesting: I removed the Prestolite cap and watched the rotor as I turned the key. W/ no plugs in, it cranked normal. Halleluia!! Then w/ a plug in #1 cyl, the rotor cranked very slow at 2 o'clock position every time (or cyl #4). Then with a second plug installed, I turned the key: the crank would bog down w/ the rotor pointing at 4 o'clock position. Each addition of a plug changed the location where the rotor pointed when it bogged down during cranking (it'd actually stop momentarily at each "bog").

Last thing: I removed the tranny tower and looked inside as I turned the key. The main shaft spun w/ each crank, and yet I had it in neutral. Since I know very little about trannies....is that supposed to happen? I had yet to fill the case w/ 80W90, so I did that tonight. Remember, it's got a new pilot bushing and clutch. Hope that isn't a culprit.
-alan

 

The strater should not get hot with the key "ON". There is no power going to the starter with the key in "ON". Only time there is power to the start is when the key is in "START". I would look at the starter. Take it to a parts store that does starter testing and make sure everything is OK. I would also check the wire that engages the starter with a voltmeter to make sure there is no voltage with the key in "OFF" and "ON" and that you have 12volts when the key is in "START".

Is the battery a good one? You may want to take the battery to a parts store and have it tested. (what is the CCA rating on the battery -- if it test to low it will cuase the starter and cables to heat up)

I was working on an inboard boat that uses the same GM starter and it did the samething (this was after a fresh rebuild). We had the starter tested and they said it was no good so we installed a new starter and that fixed the problem.

It could also be that your timing is out 180 deg. (I have been told that the 225 will run this way but will have no power.)

 

What's a starter relay? (...reaching for my FSM...)

Both starters I used in this process are known working ones, so I'm doubtful it's the starter. Gotta be wiring or clutch/tranny. I wanna nail this sucker today!!!! :twisted:

 

That would be the soleniod on the fender well

 

OK, I don't have one of those. Ha ha no wonder I never heard of it. Thanks The Beav.

 

Is yours mounted to the starter? How many wires do you have connected to it? to test remove the small ones those are the ones the activate the relay. If it still gets hot the relay in the started has to be bad.