Went out to start the Dart today, and got the dreaded "click".

Put the jumper cables on and let it charge off a running donor car for about 30 minutes. "Click"

Removed battery from the Dart and attached jumper cables from running donor car to Dart's stock cables. "Click"

Put battery back in the Dart, connected stock cables, checked battery voltage 13.5V, turn key to "start" position got the "click" and battery voltage dropped slightly, but did not go to zero.

Had trouble end of summer with a dead "right now" battery. Replaced the battery, and was good for the occasional outing (once or twice a week). Has been sitting for the last week and a half. Thought I should run it today and that is when my trouble started.

What is going on?

You either have corrosion or a loose cable

or

a bad relay, key switch

or

a burn wire someplace

shouldn't be too hard to figure out

dead battery or the cable ends/terminals need a good cleaning.

I guess I should have mentioned, all cables are newish. All connections are clean, tight, and covered with dialectric (sp?) grease.
Yes, only 1 click. Starter failure?

Myself I would clean the dielectric grease off COMPLETELY with some brake clean & try again. You are sure the batt is good/charged? If so jump the starter from its batt terminal to the solenoid terminal down at the starter

Something similar happened to me a few years back, turned out to be the neutral saftey switch. Also, check your bulkhead connector for bad connection.

You sorta' have two sections of the circuit, and you can divide the problem in half immediately

The first section is the key, and circuit feeding the key (ignition) out the bulkhead, to the starter relay (on the firewall) and down through the neutral safety switch to ground


The OTHER half of the circuit is from the battery feed, through the contacts of the (firewall) starter relay, and down to the starter relay.

BUT but but..... then last, you also have the main big battery cable to the starter "big" post

So divide the problem in half. Will it crank (turn over) if you short across the only two bare terminals on the relay?

If not, you have a problem in the big main cable to the starter, or in the starter/ solenoid itself.

Sounds like starter failure to me. Be sure the starter connections are good. If they are try jumping the solenoid first but if it doesnt work its the starter.

With ignition switch failure in my experience there isnt a click.

I would guess nuetral safety switch.

I have had so many go bad I just made a jumper to ground out the tranny NSS wire. You just got to be carefull to not start it in gear.

Try just a jumper from a ground to the post on the starter relay that takes the NSS wire...brown wire IIRC. If it starts the switch is the problem. Either the switch is bad or something in the tranny is a bit out of alignment when in park.

If the N switch is bad the starter wont click period.In 40 years Ive never seem a bad N switch make a click.They just do nothing like the car is in gear.Sounds like a bad starter or loose terminal probally at the starter.Have someone try and start it while you listen close to the starter.If it clicks and the 2 terminals are tight smack it with a hammer lightly a few times.If it starts its the starter.That or jump the 2 wires at the starter.Rocky

Tried jumping the starter relay with a screwdriver. Same "click" at the starter. Which tells me ignition switch & trans NSS is OK (?).

Smacked the starter motor with a rubber mallet. Same "click" at the starter.

Starter motor connections appear to be tight as I cannot move/wiggle them (2 separate lugs, not the molded connection pair, when I made new battery/starter cables).

It is an original style (big) starter. I do have another newer style starter from a 90s RAM/Van/Dakota but will have to wait to swap (30* outside and I'm allergic to the cold weather).

Any other suggestions/ideas?

Sounds to me like the contacts in the solenoid are pitted and not contacting. Switch your starters. Or replace the stud and washer. Used to come as a stud and washer package.

Sounds like its got to be the starter to me. I think I might be alergic to the cold weather too. Still doesnt stop me from working on any old car.

BTW I haven't learned much is different when its cold other than that gas is REALLY REALLY FRIGGIN COLD WHEN ITS COLD OUTSIDE.

OK, finally got some time to do some diagnosing.

The battery is/was fully charged.

I've got +12V at the starter relay's battery feed stud (large stud).

I've got +12V at the "Ignition" (in the Start/Crank position only) stud of the relay.

NSS lead, on the starter relay, shows 0 ohms in "Park/Neutral" and infinite ohms in any gear.

The starter relay's output wire (down to starter solenoid) receives +12V when the ignition key is turned to the Start/Crank position, telling me the starter relay is OK and functioning as usual/expected.

All this being said, I believe the starter is at fault.

I have a newer Denso starter (PN 56027702) which I believe should fit/work.

Can I use the original starter mounting bolts with the newer style starter?

I didnt look up the part # but if its a newer Mopar mini starter, it will be a direct bolt in with the old bolts. Theres an adapter on the starter connections that needs to come off so the cables dont touch nothing.

Update

Finally got some time, and with the weather in the 40s today, I pulled the old style starter and swapped it with a newer style (#56027707) starter.

Kept my fingers crossed, hit the key, and voila it roared to life!!!

Those little starters are amazing. My old starter wouldn't start the 408. Put in the mini starter and wham, instant running engine.

I worked on an '82 Dodge truck with a 318 one time that would just click and not start. It had good voltage to the starter but it would not turn the motor. I pulled the starter off and had it bench tested at a local auto parts store. It spun just fine so I put it back on the motor. Click. Checked the voltage to it again and still 12 volts. Yanked the starter back off and exchanged it for a reman and it started the truck right up. I guess it was just week and would spin when bench tested but wasn't strong enough to turn the motor.

those bench tests arent very good. i had a starter that wouldnt turn at all. took it in to be tested and it said it tested good BUT it didnt spin once during the test. I got a new starter and it cranked like crazy!

Yep, bench testing is a whole different world from actually being on an engine under a load. I've seen them spin all day long on the table and nothing but a click when reinstalled. And its impossible to get a rookie to believe that if its under warranty. Thank God I have a commercial acct. at Advance Auto.