AAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!

[shadango]

Not really....it doesnt do it every time...quickly went over the various connections...relay, starter, battery...all seemed ok....

What it does is --  I turn the key...I hear the relay click (real small click) then I hear what I think is the starter click once...a much louder click, like maybe the bendix or solenoid clicking? and then it cranks......so its a delayed crank if that makes sense.  Doesnt do it every time but it is doing it more often now....

[the_engineers]

Replace the starter relay (next to the battery)...if that doesn't help, it'll be in the wiring.  There's nothing that has the ability to build a "delay".  If it's not a slow or sticking relay, then it's a fire hazard.

[shadango]

Replace the starter relay (next to the battery)...if that doesn't help, it'll be in the wiring.  There's nothing that has the ability to build a "delay".  If it's not a slow or sticking relay, then it's a fire hazard.

Played with it for a few minutes before work this morning....

I turn the key and I get a loud click (I guess its the solenoid on the starter) and it either waits a second and then starst or doesnt crank at all...turn ignition off and back on and it either does it again or it cranks like normal.  Its still seems very random...maybe every second or so try....sometimes it will crank 4 times in a row just fine.....sometimes it will act up a couple times in a row....

What about a sticky solenoid?

The relay is a year old as is the starter....(a mini-type, DB Electrical unit....and of course the 1 year warranty is up, as of april of this year).....I went over the wiring again....the connections at the relay seem fine as do the ones at the starter.....    I hate intermittent crap. 

Hoping its a just a sticky relay.

[GoodysGotaCuda]

If you are getting at least a solid click out of the starter consistently. Your problem is with the starter, power is consistently getting to it, but it's not turning.

[shadango]

Great.....that would really suck....its only a year old..."DB Electrical" on ebay and they are supposed to have a good rep.....

Debating whether I should just buy a reman from autozone for $131 or what ($47 core).  Ouch.

Dammit.  I bought all new stuff a year ago to avoid these issues.

[burdar]

Jump the two posts on the starter with a screw driver.  If it does the same thing, you know it's the starter.  If it acts normal, I'd look at the relay.

I had a no start problem with the Challenger but found it was due to worn shifter linkage.  The trans wasn't going all the way into park.  It would start in neutral all the time but wouldn't start in Park sometimes.  Doesn't sound like that is the problem your having but may want to just check if it acts the same in neutral.

[shadango]

Key gotta be on for that test burdar?  Guess i can hook up my remote starter switch to it, to be a little safer and to do multiple tests, right? Would jumping the two large terminals at the relay test the starter too assuming the cables are ok)?

I am getting myself a bit worked up here.....Carlisle is just a couple days away and lots to do let alone deal with this....

I am afraid I will be stranded somewhere in between home and carlisle.  It could do this random thing forever or move into "sorry dude we aint moving" status after one more start. But hate to replace anything major like a starter right before a trip.

[burdar]

Yep, turn the key to the "run" possition.  That will power up the big wire going to the starter.  Jumping both terminals just bypasses the relay.  You will get some sparks, that's obviously normal.  Make sure to use an insolated screw driver.  That's just commom sence...but as soon as I don't say that, someone will use a metal bar and get one heck of a shock. 

[shadango]

Dumb question --- as far as having the key on.....does the relay provide ground then?   The big red battery cable goes to one lug then the smaller wire that goes up to the relay....if my relay is questionable, wouldnt that make this test moot?

[the_engineers]

Starter grounds through the motor/transmission.  You should be able to just use your remote starter switch to test this, assuming that you're connecting it to the two lugs on the relay.

[burdar]

Most people don't have a remote switch and have to use a screwdriver but yes, if you have a remote switch, use it.

[shadango]

I am trying to figure out then how the circuit works.....if the big red cable is battery power and the case of the starter grounds thru the block.....what is the relay doing? (Ok, I am just having a real "duh" morning so far...LOL)

[burdar]

OK, I think this is right...The big wire powers the starter.  The small one powers the solenoid.  The solenoid is powered by the relay.  The relay has power when the shifter is in Park or Neutral and that is controled by the NSS.

[shadango]

Thanks Burdar.

I just got off the phone with DP Electrical.....the tech there told me he has seen this before on these starters and it is caused by the battery cable stud/nut being tightened a bit too much and then the innards of it moves a bit......works OK at first and gradually begins to burn the contact that moved a bit....then after a while and more burning it begins to do what its doing for me.....

The fix is to open up the small triangular plate on it, after pulling the starter, and remove the plunger ....sand the plunger a bit.....then check the two contacts (u shaped).....then loosen the stud, move the contact into proper position, then sand those contacts. Then reinstall.

I dunno...sounds easy enough but....     

With the header in the way (will have to loosen/almost remove it) , its not just a bolt/unbolt sort of deal. PITA.

He did say it will gradually get worse to the point of not working.

Dammit.

[the_engineers]

I had a factory starter that I could get in/out of a set of cheapy Summit headers without loosening them.

Are you sure that you can't find a path?  If not, start saving for TTI's or Hooker's.