Starting Problems

[shaggy038]

When ever I try to start my car (1964 Dodge Polara with a 318 i think 4-door sedan) I hear that the engine is trying to start but then stops and makes a loud ticking sound. someone said it might be the starter but the engine tries to start but stop and a ticking sound is made from somewhere in or around the engine. I have also been told it could be the flywheel or some. The car has about 1400,000 miles on it. I read that it could be the ballast resisot. The car has HEI ignition i think.

[FieroSpeeder]

going to need a little more info

when your cranking and you hear the starter turning, does the starter stop turning and you hear a clicking sound???
if thats that case it could be a bad solenoid on your starter, if dodge had the solenoids on the starters.

do you have a new battery. Double check your connections at the starter and at the battery.

[shaggy038]

yes, when im starting the engine. the engine will stop cranking and then a ticking sound starts. if this is the seilinoid how much will it cost and how hard is it to fix.

[raceman6135]

Whenever I've had a starter slow down and then stop turning over the engine, but it keeps "ticking", it's usually because of a discharged or worn-out battery.

With the help of a friend, you can check this out by having your friend attach a voltmeter (preferably digital so that you can read to the 1/100th of a volt) and measuring the battery voltage while you are cranking the engine. If the voltage begins at 12 to 13 volts before cranking, but then drops below 9.5 to 10.5 volts while cranking, your battery is toast, or is too small (i.e. insufficient cranking amps).

You could also remove the battery and take it to any competent repair shop or parts dealer. Most will test the battery for free, or at the most, $5.

A solenoid is quite easy to replace and isn't very expensive, but if your engine has that many miles on it (by the way, I'm pretty sure you didn't mean 1,400,000 miles!), why not replace the entire starter/solenoid combination? Should only be $40 to $60 exchange and will come with at least a 1 year warranty.

This is assuming, of course, that all the connections (both power and ground) are clean and tight.

Good luck!

[Patrix]

Never forget to verify all your spark plug wires are on properly.
I was checking mine and found TWO bad wires.
Maybe time for some new ones while your checking the starter / battery stuff. - I have to agree that tick tick ticking is battery, starter or a starter grounding issue is the most obvious place to start.

[mr.vls]

I have took apart many a chryler starter. To repair the solonoid is a .10 fix. Remove the starter from the car. Take case apart to get at the solonoid. The failure is usally between the stud the the battery connects too and the washer on the plunger. Inspect the washer and if it is pitted it flip it over. is held on to the plunger by a clip and just reverse the washer on the plunger. Inspect the back of the wire studs and if worn away you can buy replacements at any auto electric shop for about $2.00. And if your not succesful just reassemble and get replacement starter. All you lost was about 20 min taking the starter apart and have the potential of saving $60.00. All early chrysler vehicals had the soloniod integral to the starter.

mr.vls

[Alwaysdutch]

is it possible that the relay starter could be going out?

[dougbfresh]

The clicking you hear in the solenoid kicking in/out. First try jumping the car, a weak battery will cause this many times. If this does not do it, you can have the starter/solenoid checked at Autozone, these starters are 15 minutes to remove on old Mopars if there isn't a custom exhaust in the way.

You can "hot wire" around the ignition switch with a remote starter switch to see if bypassing the starter switch inside cures the problem if the starter checks out OK.

[FieroSpeeder]

why are you replying to a four year old post?

[dougbfresh]

I didn't realize it was, someone else did and I continued. We should lock threads after 3-6 months of no activity.