<VV> Starter Question

[Harry Yarnell]

Big copper disc inside the solinoid is pitted, AND the Bendix (starter 
drive) is bad.

harry yarnell
perryman garage and orphanage
hyarnell1 at earthlink.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeffrey B. Aronson" <jrh at foxislands.net>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 11:00 AM
Subject: <VV> Starter Question


> You guys have been such a huge help - I want to press my luck with
> another question.
>
> Since purchasing my Monza last September, the starter motor has worked
> as expected. Every so often, I will hear a whine instead of a crank when
> I turn the key, but the starter has always engaged. Late last fall, I
> tugged at the starter cables and it felt tight, and the connections
> looked quite clean.
>
> I've been using the car regularly all winter. The past two days, the
> temperature has been warm [above 32] during the day but really plunging
> at night to near 0 degrees F. I live right alongside the harbor on this
> island, so it's always a damp cold, too.
>
> Those same mornings, I have turned the key and gotten only a "click."
> You can see the generator light dim under load when you hear the click.
> I tested the battery and it has 12.5 volts at rest. I then removed the
> cables, cleaned off the terminal posts and the inside of the spring
> cables, and then reattached them. I still got only a click sound. But
> after trying for about 10 times, the starter suddenly started to engage
> at its usual sound and pace.
>
> I figured I was just lucky and that the starter and/or solenoid might be
> going south, until I went to use my '66 Land Rover. That one has an
> original Lucas starter and it, too, would barely turn over. It turned
> briefly and then stopped. I tried it a couple of times and then finally,
> it started as it usually does.
>
> This morning, I had the same experiences on both cars. The Corvair would
> only click for many attempts [10?] and then it started suddenly and has
> worked fine all morning. The Land Rover also turned over very sluggishly
> on the first push of the starter button, and then turned over fine.
>
> Now it could be that both '66 cars have old, tired starters, but I also
> wonder about whether I'm getting icing on the solenoid such that the arm
> won't engage/release to engage the starter. I'm clearly getting current
> to the starter, and the motor functions normally once I start it for the
> day.
>
> What do you think? Am I looking at a new starter?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
>
> Jeff Aronson
> Vinalhaven, Maine 04863
> '66 Corvair Monza Coupe 110 hp 4-speed
> '66 Land Rover Series II-A 88" SW
> '66 Land Rover Series II-A 88" HT
> '80 Triumph TR-7 Spider
>
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