Fiddle sticks !!!! Starter on a Hemi and headers..

Robert,
Hot or cold. Like last night, it was cold start. Turn the key and it is like "click", then do it again then it engages, but barely turns. Do it again then it will rotate. I'll probably make a video, too hard to try and articulate in writing..

Troy

Dont articulate. (1) slo charge the batt up & have it load tested if there is any doubt of it's condition or easier yet just drop in another known good batt. (2) clean ALL large cable connections/terminals including the ground path (3) jump from starter relay batt terminal to the nearby brown wire "sol" terminal (4) lastly bite the bullet & pull that starter

Robert. All components are new. I purchased new cables, battery and starter. The relay might be foriegn junk, not sure....... But yes, the thought of taking the battery out and doing a load test passed my mind ( had better not, dang battery is brand new )...

Thanks to taking the time to respond....... Not looking forward to the potential of pulling the starter...... But, if I have to, I have to....

Make sure there isn't any paint under the ground cable connection to the block. I have run across this in new engine builds and it will not ground well enough.

I'd say the motor has to come out to put a starter on, the header has to come off and this means the motor has to come out. I have my Hemi on the floor now. Same combo of parts.

Been thinking over lunch... If I remove the driver's side lower control arm and torsion bar, I might be able to create enough "wiggle" room.. It would be a LOT easier to remove one lower control arm and torsion bar than a complete motor......

It would be easier to drop the trans and the bellhousing than to pull the motor , or for that matter the torsion bar and get it realigned ...

Troy Try a different battery first it's the easiest. You never know with new parts these days. My hemi wouldn't start after a jet change. It would turn over like crazy. I thought it was flooded but it wasn't and still didn't start. Gave up went back and put old jets back in car. You guessed it it still would turn over great just wouldn't start. Long story short the battery was bad and wouldn't supply enough volts to fire the msd. New battery no more problems other than having to go back and rejet the carbs a third time. LOL Mike

I've change the starter at the races with Hooker race headers in my old 1970 Hemi Cuda stick shift car, a real pain but I didn't have to remove the torsion bar or any of the steering linkage You can load test the battery by turning on the headlights first with a reflective panel in front of them or have someone watch the headlights and then hit the starter, if the headlights dim like real bad look at the batterey, if they don't dim it is probally the atarter Did you put a new mini starter in it? I've had cranking troubles in the race cars when hot with several different mini starters , it is slow to turn over on the first revolution and then the starter will spin the motor over properly, no problems when cold I think that problem is ground related I have to make sure but I really think it is ground related Two new battery in the trunk in parallel with the ground terminals hook together, engine block is grounded through the front and rear motor plates and one # 2 ground wire jumper accross the mid plate I did have one bad battery cut off switch give similar symptoms I would do a voltage drop check on the main battery lead to the starter before and after engaging it before deciding on what the real problem is, all stock 1969 Mopar cars had wiring issues, didn't they Lots of gremlins out there Good luck, let us know what you find

Might be time to install a quality Rob Mc starter very nice piece

check this

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...;gonew=1#UNREAD

I put a known good battery and it did the same thing..... Sounds like a dang Chevy starter that's not shimmed correctly..... It occurred when the motor was cold, not warm.... I'll change out the starter relay next, have a NOS one showing up soon, but my gut says starter......

I'd be surprised if the relay was the ause of the problem, but then again I've been surprised before.
The post "sthemi" references is mine. My DD starter was draggy: starter checked out OK, replaced solenoid, then engagement was occasional and sounded horrible half that time.
As far as accessing the starter - the Hookers on my RR allow basically no room for anything, but I was able to get room by unbolting them from the exhaust & head. Shop rags & towels to protect finish on headers & apron. Very minor bloodletting.

"I hate my Hooker Headers" (spent 10 hours last weekend welding up, grinding and filing the ports so they match the heads) but they do come apart, Troy has TTI though and I think they're one piece. Steering box pretty much hits header tube, header tube pretty much hits starter.

Sheldon