89 Marathon....Starter Issue

[yellowhorse7]

I've seemed to have hit a wall with my Marathon project. Reassembled the wiring system complete with new grounds, etc and now the starter/genny won't turn over. It's disconnected from the motor so it's not loaded. The battery is fully charged. Everything was labeled before dis-assembly and I rechecked my work with the service manual. I've also run the gambit on the suggested trouble-shooting stuff i.e proper continuity, ohm tests, etc. I have not however checked the brushes or the armature on the starter. At the end of last season it was running fine. Do these things just die? I'm going to apply power/ground to A1 and A2 as I think that that is the starter circuit. Solenoid clicks and passes power through A and B. The limit switches all work as well.

And just to add.....I've converted over to HEI with an aftermarket coil and a GM Module. I'm figuring that this has nothing to do with the starting procedure, only the charging procedure. I can't verify my work with the HEI conversion 'cuz the starter won't even turn over.

Help? Thanks

[yellowhorse7]

Fed power directly from the battery to F2 and nothing. Am I missing something regarding the starter ground as in where is it? I realize that it goes through the f/r switch and that C is grounded to the battery but that's it. Service manual doesn't show anything else. Really thinking that the unit is fried

[popatop]

Sounds like Solenoid problem to me?

[BrewCityMusic]

I agree with Popatop, you may want to pop the $20 and replace your solenoid - I had a similar issue last summer with a brand new, never-used solenoid, it clicked and read fine on the DMM just like clockwork but for some reason under a load would just refuse to pass enough power to spin the cart over ... In my case, the replacement was just "because" as I was redoing all the electrical, so I was lucky enough to have the old one sitting right there, reinstalled it and ended the problem.

[yellowhorse7]

But I bypassed the solenoid and still the starter didn't turn over. Seems like it should have. I may replace it anyway.....

[madoc1]

be sure you have a good ground that runs from the batt to frame to engine.
the hei circuit has nothing to do with starting or gen circuit. they just both tap off the same soleniod terminal.

you don''t need to replace the solenoid to check it just put a volt meter on the out going side that runs to the starter and try to start it . will show 12v if it is working. just a simple on off switch.

[yellowhorse7]

That was my next step. Although with it being 20+ years old it seems that things that are working now may not work tomorrow. Kinda like me

[Dave Box]

I am sure that you have already done this but........
There must be a good ground braid from the ground point on the frame to the engine case. If this is missing the engine will try to find a ground anyway it can, typically the choke cable. If that is good enough the cable will melt due the high current pull, if not good enough the starter will not turn.
Dave

[Dave Box]

I am sure that you have already done this but........
There must be a good ground braid from the ground point on the frame to the engine case. If this is missing the engine will try to find a ground anyway it can, typically the choke cable. If that is good enough the cable will melt due the high current pull, if not good enough the starter will not turn.
Dave

[madoc1]

yellow-i just reread your first post. you say the starter is disconnected from the engine. if it is you will have no ground. try running a hd jumper cable from the batt to an ear on the starter and then trying it.