Re: IML: 60 Imperial-starter problem

[<pnkmoore@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have heard and experienced (mostly on GMs) that stop-and-go erranding can 
increase the heat in large-block cylinders and expand the piston rings.  A 
symptom I watch for as an indicator of an aging starter or battery is when 
the car fails to start when you've made a bunch of stop-and-go starts, but 
behaves normally once the engine cools a few moments (and the rings 
contract).

With respect to forceful pursuasion methods on starters, one we use 
frequently here in the flatlands (and one that I employed just this week 
when my '69 Buick starter Bendix became reluctant) is to open the car door, 
drop the transmission into neutral and push with your foot to make the car 
move a little.  While it's moving, even a tiny bit, you drop the 
transmission back into park and the force of the transmission locking can 
jar the starter back into action.  Often you can actually hear it release. 
I've had cars that each want a different method of releasing a captured 
starter.  I've jumped up and down on the rear bumper of fords and the front 
bumper of my Cadillac.  I had three late 70s/early 80s Mercedes diesels that 
would only respond to a sharp rapping on the starter when they got stuck, a 
very inconvenient problem when you're in a suit.  And you haven't lived 
until you're out with your boss for lunch and had to jump on the bumper to 
release your starter.  My '76 Cadillac provided that memory for me, that 
being the day before I went out and bought a new starter.  Plainly,  I'm 
cheap and waited too long.

My '70 300 with its gear-reduction starter never gave me that type of 
trouble.  It had plenty of other problems and never ceased to drive me 
insane, but the starter always performed well.  I sometimes called that car 
"tough love" or worse, depending on what on-board system was failing me at 
the moment, yet of all the cars I've owned and sold, I miss the 300 the 
most.

Patrick
'58 Southampton project
'69 Electra ragtop w/ "Wildcat" rims
'86 Merecedes 300 SDL (my daily, 237K miles and counting!)
'04 Honda "mini-man" (her daily)

.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Scott" <shelbyguy@xxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 4:37 PM
Subject: IML: 60 Imperial-starter problem


> I was out tooling around in my 60 Crown today running a few errands.  It 
> was cool today, temp right around 70F.  The car ran perfectly throughout 
> the day until the last stop.  I ran into the local WalMart to pick up some 
> film I had developed and when I came out, she was dead.  The temp gauge 
> never moved more than 1/3 of the way to hot the whole day.  I had stopped, 
> parked and restarted the car 4 times within a span of about 20 minutes and 
> had driven maybe 6 miles or so.  When I turned the key to start, nothing 
> happened at all.  I ran through the pushbuttons figuring maybe the neutral 
> switch was hung up or maybe the pushbuttons themselves.  Everything 
> electrical worked at normal speed...windows, wipers, etc.  Dejectedly, I 
> hoofed it on home...fortunately I was only a mile or so from home.  About 
> an hour later I went back to the car, turned the key and she started right 
> up.  The starter spun at normal revolutions.
> Anybody got a clue as to what might have happened?  I'm thinking either 
> the starter or solenoid overheated but starting the car 4 times in a half 
> hour or so shouldn't overheat them.
> There is no corrosion on either the battery or the starter.
> Thanx
> Tom
> 60 4 dr Crown Southampton
>
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