I put a newly rebuit 440 in my Challenger. The engine turns over freely by hand.( I know this from putting priming the oil pump and turning the crank. Also I know this from putting it in time.) The car rolls freely in nuetral. I have a new battery in it as well as a new mini starter.

I went to try to start it for the first time and do the "cam break in", and all I got was the infamous starter "clunk". I put a battery charger on the battery and it didn't seem to matter. I made sure all of my connections are on and tight. I have lights and radio when the battery is connected. I tapped the starter with a small hammer and it still didn't make a difference. Does anyone know what could be keeping it from turning over? I hate the thoughts of pulling the starter back out and I am thinking since it is new, that shouldn't be the problem. What do you guys suggest to try? Thanks, Jason

Did you try to jump across the starter relay terminals? Are your batery terminals tight and clean. Everything can work fine but if the terminals are marginal or the grounds bad (you do have a ground from the back of the engine to the fire wall?) the starter may just click.
Can't be the neutral safety switch if the starter clicks.

The ground on the back of the block........where do I look for it. ( I know on the back, but is it just a ground wire from the block to the firewall, or does it go somewhere else?) I checked my terminals and they are good. I also thought about the n.s.switch and double checked it anyhow, but figured it wouldn't clunk if it wasn't working. I will have to double check the block grond at the back. If I can't find it, can I just run a wire from the block to the firewall for a ground? Anything else to check for??? Thanks, Jason

Yes it is usually a light braided ground strap from one of the behousing bolts or one of the rear intake bolts to the fire wall.
Like I asked aboove have you tried to jump across the relay terminals or across the 2 starter terminals? Are you sure these are tight?

Well, i went to the garage and the ground strap WASN'T on. I took out a bolt from the intake pan hold down and scraped off some of the fresh paint and bolted it down using that bolt. I still doesn't turn over. I hoped that was it, but it isn't. I have not tried to jump the relay. how does that work? I made sure my connections on the starter are good and tight and they are. The connections at the relay are good and tight as well. I don't know if the relay is good. How do I test it or "jump" it?

with key on, car will start....with it off, the starter will just turn the motor over unless you hot-wire the coil.....

touch the two chrome pieces together with edge of a screwdriver

Thanks guys. Mine is old and looks like crap. For all one of theose costs from NAPA, I shlod get one anyhow. All things kind of point in the direction of that part anyhow. Thanks for all of the help. If this doesn't fix it, I'll return for more brainstorming. Thanks again!!! Jason

i'll be replacing mine when teh rebuild is finished - the one currently on my car is pretty nasty as well, though my main issue is with the connectors that go into the lower part of the relay. when you replace yours (if you do), i'd go ahead and replace the ends on all of the wires

Ok, I changed the relay that was pictured above. It still only clunks when I turn the key. I noiced another relay beside it that has 2 wires coming off of the plug on the freshly changed relay to this relay I have pictured. If this 2nd relay is bad, could this also cause the clunk? It looks to be as old as the first one.

IU will be happy if this would still be my problem. What else could it be other than this relay? If I replace it, both relays will be new as well as the battery and starter. All of my grounds are now hooked up. What are your thoughts?

Try to jump the 2 terminals right on the starter and see what happens. Make sure that it is out of gear and or in Park. If the starter isn't bad it should turn over there.

I also just got to thinking.... the new relay I bought. The "stud" that the positive terminal bolt to is loose. In other words, it will spin and I had to hold it and the nut to tighten the nut to lock the positive wire. Could I have gotted a bad new relay, or is it ok for that stud to be loose? ( My old one wasn't)

Looks like it !

it should not be loose. tighten it up all the way & try it & see if your good but I would be inclined to get another one as you wouldn't want to chance on being majorly inconvenienced by a "no crank" at the wrong time from such an inexpensive part. EDIT with this being a new breakin you might switch the key to "on" & see if the ecu/ballast/coil are all getting fire & jump the coil neg to ground to see if you ARE getting spark from the coil secondary wire as you want it to fire IMMEDIATELY then at the relay jump the "batt" to the brown solenoid wire to get it cranking/started. Easier with several helpers which would be a good idea to have them there at breakin, one to add trans fluid one to check for leaks one to adj the idle speed screw & you in the driver seat to watch the gauges & shout orders . With a sucessfull breakin you will feel better about fixing the relay problem when you are done and read this article "break in secrets" at www.mototuneusa.com and when you immed get the rpm up to ~2500 or so rap the throttle many times during the 20 minute breakin.

Ok, I jumped the terminals on the new starter relay. The starter again, just clunked. I found out that the relay I pictured above is just for the Dash asscess. etc. I don't think this would make the starter clunk, but I am getting one anyhow. Is it possible that the starter could just be in a bind? I hate the thoughts of taking that starter out of this car.The starter is only 1 year old abd literally only has about 20 starts on it. What else could my problem be?? I am getting frustrated and stumped.

(carefully)w a screwdriver jump the 2 terminals on the starter itself. If no crank & lots of sparks then it is getting enough current & the starter needs to come out.

Ok, I finally had time to screw around with the car tonight. I double checked every thig we have discussed so far. Same results. I decided to put the car up on jack stands and try to see if the starter was in a bind. I figured while I was down there, I would take off the dust sheild on the bottom of the front of the transmission. I found that the small gear that kicks back to turn the torque converter to start it was still in the teeth of the converter. I loosened the starter mount bolts and wiggled the starter around and nothing happened. I tapped on the bottom of the starter with a large extension, and the little gear popped back into the starter. I figured,"great, that was it I am good to go." I put everything back together and hit the key and....Clunk. I crawled back under the car, took the inspection cover off and the gear was back out. I didn't loosen the starter this time, i just tapped the starter again and while the gear was out, I shot a little carb cleaner up at it hopefully to "ungum" it. I tried to start it again, and Clunk. I repeated those stepas again about 5 more time with the same results. Is the starter bad, or something else? Thanks for your answers and patience.

Will the engine turn over with a wrench on the crank shaft??? I am wondering if the engine is stuck.

Yes, It is a new rebuild. I turned it be hand (socket and breaker bar), to put it both in time and to turn the crank when I was priming the oil pump. The transmission was already hooked to the motor including the flexplate and torque converter. The only thing I added after I turned the motor by hand was the radiator and dist. and wires. I didn't check it tonight, but I don't know why or how it could have locked up since then. (I timed it on Memorial Day weekend.)