Posted By: '72CudaRacer
Still have cranking problem-help needed! - 09/21/10 01:58 AM
Made it to the track Sunday, thought I had the cranking problem fixed, but noooooo! Need help here guys.
Back ground: Same set up for YEARS, never had a cranking problem but twice. once a battery failed "open", second, a new Optima failed (still made 11 passes, no charging between rounds)
Set up; 2 batteries, in trunk, no alt, old Chrysler starter, key switch on colum, 440 10:1 comp, points style distrib triggering a MSD 7al2, electic fan and water pump.
What changed; This winter built new +.030 440, 13.5+ comp, alum heads, everything else the same, still, never a problem, even ran 18 passes in 10 hours in july at Bristol (two classes, one 1/4 mile, one 1/8 mile)
What else has changed; At the end of july, I pulled the engine back out and added a Milodon gear drive, a MSD crank trigger, locked out the dist, set rotor phasing, changed from a mallory coil to a MSD pro power coil, set timing at 36*, and ran several weeks with no problems. Then at the Mopar show in Bristol 3 weeks ago, I ran 5 passes fri, 9 passes sat (2 classes, 1/4 & 1/8) still no problem. Then sunday morning roll car out of trailer, charged batteries overnite with a "smart" charger. Start car to warm up and it kicked starter back. Changed starter (then find out that chrysler has differnt lenght old style starters, long one won't fit with my headers) Put a borrowed chry mini starter on, zinged it over no prob, for about 2 rounds, then acted like a weak battery. I come home check batteries, they are not really low, charge them fully and load test, good results.
What changed this week; I replaced all cables from battery to starter, added ground from batt to starter, replaced starter/ign switch to a push button starter/toggle ign switch, all wiring from batt to switches to starter, bypassed master shut off.
Results; car started nice for about 4 passes, then starts draging to the point of the starter "stopping" when I flipped the ign on. turn ign off, starts spinning the engine over again until I flip ign back on. I had to boost it off in the staging lanes 3 times sunday. when I'm out of competition, I let it set for about 1 hour, remove one Optima, car cranks up.
Questions; Could this starter be getting hot and causing this? how can this be tested? What am I missing?
Sorry this turned out so loooong, but I do not want to show up again with starting problems, so any help will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance guys.
Brian Dunnigan
Back ground: Same set up for YEARS, never had a cranking problem but twice. once a battery failed "open", second, a new Optima failed (still made 11 passes, no charging between rounds)
Set up; 2 batteries, in trunk, no alt, old Chrysler starter, key switch on colum, 440 10:1 comp, points style distrib triggering a MSD 7al2, electic fan and water pump.
What changed; This winter built new +.030 440, 13.5+ comp, alum heads, everything else the same, still, never a problem, even ran 18 passes in 10 hours in july at Bristol (two classes, one 1/4 mile, one 1/8 mile)
What else has changed; At the end of july, I pulled the engine back out and added a Milodon gear drive, a MSD crank trigger, locked out the dist, set rotor phasing, changed from a mallory coil to a MSD pro power coil, set timing at 36*, and ran several weeks with no problems. Then at the Mopar show in Bristol 3 weeks ago, I ran 5 passes fri, 9 passes sat (2 classes, 1/4 & 1/8) still no problem. Then sunday morning roll car out of trailer, charged batteries overnite with a "smart" charger. Start car to warm up and it kicked starter back. Changed starter (then find out that chrysler has differnt lenght old style starters, long one won't fit with my headers) Put a borrowed chry mini starter on, zinged it over no prob, for about 2 rounds, then acted like a weak battery. I come home check batteries, they are not really low, charge them fully and load test, good results.
What changed this week; I replaced all cables from battery to starter, added ground from batt to starter, replaced starter/ign switch to a push button starter/toggle ign switch, all wiring from batt to switches to starter, bypassed master shut off.
Results; car started nice for about 4 passes, then starts draging to the point of the starter "stopping" when I flipped the ign on. turn ign off, starts spinning the engine over again until I flip ign back on. I had to boost it off in the staging lanes 3 times sunday. when I'm out of competition, I let it set for about 1 hour, remove one Optima, car cranks up.
Questions; Could this starter be getting hot and causing this? how can this be tested? What am I missing?
Sorry this turned out so loooong, but I do not want to show up again with starting problems, so any help will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance guys.
Brian Dunnigan
Been there. Got the broken starter to prove it.