i just got my car back and drove it for one day . then... it would not start again. every tome i tried to start it the starter soleniod would smoke. i replaced it but it still only clicks when i try to start it. battery is good. starter is good. any suggestions?
Have you tried jumping the starter - by-passing the solenoid? It sounds like your starter is not cutting in the field coils. Connect the red jumper cable to the battery positive and then connect the other end of the red cable to the side of the solenoid that the starter is connected to. (be careful it will arc some) If the starter doesn't crank then pull it off and have it checked.
dan, he starter relay is smoking because there is to much current being drawn by the starter. Put another starter on and now change the starter relay with it. It has been over heated.
you got it back from where? I would guess that the starter is shorting somewhere or is maybe hung up, definelty pulling too much current somewhere between where it leaves the selonoid and gets to the starter??? If you are trying to START the car by jumping across the selonoid then yes the key has to be in the ign. and turned to the "ON" position when you doi it... make sure the car is in park or Nuetral with the E-Brake on when you do this because it is happens to be in gear it will still start and run your butt over... been there and done it with an 88 Bronco II. Damn thing nearly ran me over had it not been for the concrete curb I may not be here today.....
Check the large wire that goes from the solenoid to the starter and make sure that it has not rubbed against something and grounded out.
Starter load You can check the load on the starter with a guage that slips over the cable between the solenoid and the starter. That will tell you if it is pulling more load than the battery and solenoid can handle. If the load is high, it's time to change the starter.
i know this might sound like a dumb question. but im seventen and still learing. i took my starter out and had it tested at the auto part store. would they be able to tell me if the starter was using to much current for the battery and the soleniod to handle?
Not a dumb question. Everybody is learning. Yes, they should be able to check it. Take the battery with you and they can check it too.
Replace the cables too, bad(old) cables will also require more amperage to spin the starter. Jst because a starter's been rebuilt, doesn't mean it'll do the job, many times they just clean em, paint em and stick em back in the box. They rarely replace the field coils and bad coils will spin the starter under no load, but fail miserably under a load.
