Start Solenoid Ticking/Shorting Sound

[fastfrontier17]

You are focusing on the solenoid. Have you tested the solenoid as Don suggested to conclude if it is working or not? Also, you can disconnect the wire to the starter then check resistance across the solenoid connections when the ignition is in the 'start' position to verify the relay is closing. Also verify the 'start' control wire connected to the solenoid is going hot when the ignition is in the 'start' position.

A true trickle charger will trash your battery. Hopefully you actually have a battery maintainer.

Mike

It's a float charger, so it's not charging all of the time. Trickle charger is just the generic term I've always known. I'll see if I can check the resistance on the solenoid tonight.

 

[hartmandm]

The other check with the solenoid is its ground. It is grounded via the mounting screws to the firewall. Hopefully you'll be able to rule out the solenoid.

Mike

 

[fastfrontier17]

Charged the battery overnight with the maintainer, and it only got back up to about 12.4 volts. I held the ignition for about 5 seconds this time and the stater kicked over. I did it again and it kicked over but started to slowly die. I checked the voltage at the solenoid at this point and it was only ~6.5 volts. I was hesitant to think the battery was bad, but maybe that's it. Hard to believe considering it's only a year old. Diehard red. Terminals on battery and cables are clean. Solenoid is seated well against the firewall.

 

[fastfrontier17]

Read this on the Google

"Another thing that is very important to consider when selecting a battery is how long it has been sitting on the shelf at your local parts store. Batteries that sit for long periods of time without being recharged will experience sulfating of the internal plates. The most common situation where you find sulfating is in a battery that has not been charged for an extended period of time. The sulfur molecules in the battery acid become so deeply discharged that they begin to coat the battery plates. In time, the plates in the battery will become so heavily coated that the battery dies. In most cases the battery will not recover from this condition and will need to be replaced."

 

[Tom H]

Solenoid is seated well against the firewall.

The solenoid bracket mainly makes contact with the paint on the firewall. It's the screws that make the ground connection.

 

[fastfrontier17]

I got the car cranked up. I left the float charger sit on the battery with the caps off for 2 days. I had to hold the key for about 3-5 seconds before the starter even turned over, but it cranked on the first try. Does this still sound like a grounding issue?

 

[MikeH]

Have tried cleaning the connection at the starter?

 

[fastfrontier17]

Have tried cleaning the connection at the starter?

Have not. Will get under there and check it out.

 

[Tom H]

I had to hold the key for about 3-5 seconds before the starter

Strange.
Did you hear the solenoid clunk right away? If not, the problem is either 1) bad/ intermittent contact in the ignition switch, 2) bad grounding of the screws mounting the solenoid, 3) bad/ intermittent connection where the wire from the ignition switch connect to the solenoid. I once had a solenoid where the spade lug that this wire connects to was loose on the solenoid. sometimes it worked and sometimes not. I had to re-solder the lug onto the solenoid.

If the solenoid did cluck, but still no action from the starter for 3-5 seconds, then it's probably a bad solenoid, where the heavy-duty contacts inside the solenoid are not always making good contact.

But in an earlier post you indicated you bypassed the solenoid main posts with a screwdriver and got no action from the starter. That points to the starter being the problem. You need to repeat that test. It may take two screwdrivers, one touching each post and making sure you have good solid contacts and then touching each other to be sure you have a good contact at each. If you don't get the starter going each time you do this, you have a bad starter.

Tom

 

[jumpinjan]

You might consider getting a good battery & jumper cables and try to cranking the starter using the starter side post on the solenoid. I'm thinking to troubleshoot your way back to the battery. And hook your ground on the engine block.
Jan

 

[fastfrontier17]

Is there supposed to be an engine to body ground from the factory, or is the trans to sub-frame all we got?

 

[hartmandm]

Stock setup should be just the ground strap at the gearbox mount. If it has good connections, it is all you need.

Mike

 

[jumpinjan]

Most of those ground straps need to be replaced. I have seen a lot of bad ones.
Jan