I am having an intermittent cranking issue on my 66 Belvedere. Every now and then when I turn the key the starter relay will click, but the starter will not turn. I have replaced the starter relay and the starter, the issue has not changed. I have verified the relay is getting ground from the NSS, and power from the IGN wire, and the starter relay clicks every time I turn the key, provided it isn’t in gear. The starter relay is sending 12v to the solenoid, and the wire has good continuity going down to the solenoid.

I did notice that both the new (95 ram) and old (MP mini) starters have continuity between the solenoid post and the starter housing. Is this normal?

Anything else I can diagnose? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

confirm the ground path is good: "battery neg to frame" in addition to the std batt neg cable to block.

last time I had that problem the ground to the battery to block was bad.
obviously still showed continuity, but couldn't carry the amps.

It got so bad eventually I couldn't crank at all. I found that I bent the cable at the block end and I could start temporarlily and get it replaced.

The starter disc inside connecting the main terminal to the armature may be worn. Kits are available to replace them. Do a voltage drop test. Positive battery to positive post of the starter. then try to crank. Volt meter should read less than 1 volt. Also test the ground side negative battery post to starter case. should b the same result. If so pull the starter apart and check the disc.
https://www.amazon.com/Starter-Solenoid-Starters-Chrysler-Plymouth-x/dp/B008U80X5G

Doug

I ending up grounding my starter relay to get mine to not do what your is doing...

Thanks all,

I'll try to get out in the shop tonight and verify all the grounds and perform a couple tests

[quote=skicker] outI ending up grounding my starter relay to get mine to not do what your is doing... [/quotestarter relay only needs to be grounded with manual trans w/o clutch switch. Auto grounds through the neutral safety switch. If it clicks, it's seeing ground.
Doug

I've had the intermittent start issue on 3 different cars over the last 30 years:
1. Baked direct-drive starter on Hemi with headers; might click & not spin starter, might click & turn over.
Adding heat shield on rebuild of starter fixed that, then I got a Robb MC starter and really fixed it.
2. Faulty ignition switch, same symptoms as above
Replaced switch.
3. Loose post on starter relay, either no click or would start; wiggle post = start.
Replaced relay. (4-speed car, no NSS to confuse matters)

dvw...

I had used a 68 Charger 8 3/4 rear and transmission I had from a parts car.

When the 70 Satellite was put together I wasn't aware of the difference between the NSS switches.

The comb in the valve body is wrong for the 3 pin NSS I put in the transmission once I found the 3 pin connector while hooking everything up.

The early comb in the valve body with the 3 pin NSS made the back-up lights stay on in D-2-1.

I wired them through the Aftermarket floor shifter and didn't worry too much about it...

At some point I'll have to correct everything if I ever have to pull the transmission...

In the end I could just have a bad relay...

It still does it in about 1 in 20 or so start ups...