Re(2): 83 UrQ no start

[steveb@newkla.kla.com (Steven Buchholz)]

(Dan Bocek replies to Bob DAmato)
> > I am able to pop start it no prob.. and when its having an 'episode' I 
> > can put it in gear ,and roll it a little (VERY little) and try again, and 
> > usually the starter will kick in. (not enough data to verify this, but 
> > twice that seemed to be the case.)
> 
> Sounds like you have a dead spot on your starter motor armature.  Rolling 
> the car and having it work is the giveaway.  Happened to me on another 
> car I used to own.  Time to rebuild that starter!

... guess I'm missing a little something here ... how does rolling the
car in gear do anything to move the starter to another bit of the armature?
The only thing I could see would be if the starter engagement mechanism 
was sticking somehow trying to engage the flywheel ... it may be true that
you need a new starter, but it may also be true that something else will
get ya going, something cheaper ...

Side note - It appears that most replacement starters come equipped for 
ring lugs, while the solenoid wire on both '82/83 qtcs I've seen are
set up for a spade lugs.  It was easy enough to rig up an adapter, but 
I thought I'd mention it here FYI ...
> 
> P.S.  I believe it has been suggested to you that the problem could lie
> with the ignition switch not working.  This is not the problem.  I had the
> switch die on me last year 300 miles away from home.  After a flatbed to
> the hotel (wouldn't kick start because when the switch goes, you don't get
> power to *ANY* of the necessary subsystems the car needs to run) and a
> taxi ride to Radio Shaft, I rigged up a McGyver hack (using only a swiss
> army knife and duct tape (I'm serious!)) to bypass the ignition switch all
> together with a series of three external toggle switches.  Switch one to
> turn on the ignition circuit, switch two to activate the load reduction
> relay, and switch three to activate the starter.  Worked great, 'cept it
> felt like I was starting an airplane every time needed to toggle all those
> switches... 3-2-1 contact!!!! Varooooommmmm.........
> 
Sheesh Dan, this sounds better than the original!  Why'd ya change it back?
I'm gonna rig something like that up on my car this evening ;-)

... there are separate contacts on the switch for the start vs. the on posi-
tion.  I think that over time the start position switch builds up enough
resistance to the point where it can no longer supply the pull-in current
of the solenoid.  You should be able to tell if the switch is basically 
functional in the START position by listening for the "hot-start" relay 
after holding the switch in start for a few seconds.  If you are stuck
with a car that has a bad ign switch, it turns out that the switch module
is fairly easy to remove from the ign lock.  Once removed, it is *really*
easy to disassemble the thing.  You might be able to cobble the thing to-
gether with the bits that you've got ... cleaning contacts and such.  

Steve Buchholz
s_buchho@kla.com
San Jose, CA (USA)