Thick starter cable melting!

Yes the solenoid is bolted to the starter. 2 conections, one for the "STA" on the ignition switch, and the other is that big cable to the +batt. Good idea on disconnecting the "STA" connection and see if she gets/stays hot.

 

The relay is only used when you have the "Ford" type starter they only have one large wire running to the starter. The type you have use the same type of relay only it is mounted to the starter body. The out side of that relay is usually directly connected to the field windings of the starter.

 

Ahh, maybe. One way to tell.....going outside to install charged up battery and turn key to "ON", and leave it for a few....

Any way to install a temperature gauge on a starter??!"

**Edit/Update** Battery reads 12.20 volts at "OFF". Volts fall to 12.07 at "ON", and cable does not get hot after leaving it in "ON". Goona test more after din-din.

 

All good ideas Brian.

I left the plug wires on during the installation process. I've since re-checked and they're gool. LOL maybe I'll switch 'em up to see if it starts.

Interesting about the hydro-lock hypothesis. If it helps, I had the oil pan off and I watched as the pistons were struggling to go around while my lovely assistant turned the key. Not something I recommend doing for a long time, but I just HAD to see what was happening with the crank, rods, and pistons. All looked good, so I buttoned it up. Slapped on new oil pump b/c it was the only way to get a new gasket from the FLAPS.

How would I know if the timing chain was off....(key words without removing the cover??
It runs like a top once it runs. I just can't get 2 consecutive revolutions before it bogs to a stop, then starts again, repeat, repeat... :evil:

The best onomatopoeia I can think of is "WAAAAAAWwwww...wwwwAAAAAAAWWwww.....WWAAawww...wwwWWWWWww.....wwwwWWw.....wwwWWWAAAw....www.... (dead battery :evil: )

 

one other suggestion to check the rolling resistance of the engine; pull the plugs and put a socket and ratchet on the dampener bolt and turn the engine over. should give you some idea of any tight or hard spots in the rotation of the crank....... :?

 

I may have missed it in here somewhere, but retard the timing a little bit. I forget which way the distributor in the V6 turns, but slightly rotate the distributor the same direction as rotation. Also, check to make sure the mechanical advance isn't stuck in the fully advanced position. I had that happen to me on my racecar once. Somehow the weights and springs got bound up on each other. It ran fine once we got it started, but it didn't want to crank over easily at all. I think the only reason it started was because I had a 4.4 horsepower gear reduction mini starter. Just my thoughts.... Good luck

 

Thanks for the ideas guys...keep 'em comin'!
I did peek at the lower journals and the bearings looked fine. I do know what a spun bearing looks like since the last V6 exploded, lol. My oil pressure was good when I had it running on the bench. Just can't get it running well installed.

DSG--when I had all plugs out, I turned the key and it cranked over like a kitty-cat--'purrrrr". As soon as I put even one plug back in, it'd bog down a bit at a specific cylinder. Puttin a second and third plug in = bog down in a diffo cylinder, etc, etc. Can't figger it out. Might be tranny related. ??

Awfully frustrated...it's prolly something small and/or dumb that i'll be kickin' myself for later.

 

I'm still leaning toward a bad electrical connection somewhere. Could it be a bad connection inside the starter solenoid? Whenever you are drawing current, the power dissipated goes as the SQUARE of the current drawn . If you have even a little additional resistance over nominal in the solenoid's contacts, they (and the attached battery cable) will get hot hot hot during cranking. In fact, if the starter motor almost stalls due to a bad contact, almost all the power in the system (V*I) will be dissipated across that poor little contact. Add just a little resistance into the starter circuit and you'll get the symptons you have talked about ('cept for the white smoke in the valve cover, that is something else).

 

If it was Trans related it would turn over hard with the plugs removed.

Have you tried to turn the motor with a wrench by hand to make sure it does not bind in one spot?

I would take the starter off and HAVE IT TESTED at a parts store. I had the same problem with a inboard boat motor (GM motor that uses the same starter as the Buick V6). This motor turned over fine with out any plugs but would heat up the starter and wires with the pluges installed. Had the starter test and it was bad. New starter and a New battery fixed the problem.

 

Couldn't hurt. Thanks for the tip. I'm off to AutoZone w/ starter in hand!!!