348 Starter, sometimes it just clicks

Remove the starter and replace the contacts and plunger in the solenoid.

 

Or.....

If your car has the battery in the left rear of the engine bay, try checking the bullet connectors under the air box for the positive, running to the starter, and the bullet connector for the negative. They have a history of getting loose and causing what you are describing.

If that turns out to be the problem I suggest you replace them with solid cables.

 

Even if your battery is front mount you should check ALL the contact points. Its extremely commom to find loose/dirty contacts at terminal blocks. I also had a problem with my shutoff switch getting carboned up. Another source of my frustration was a immobilizer relay from an aftermarket alarm system spliced into the ignition line near the iggy switch by some idiot.

 

I don't see why they wouldn't be common to other brands.

 

try the connection block on the right rear strut tower.

 

Your description in the first post sounds exactly like the voltage drop in the ignition switch. Have you attempted the by-pass experiment? I wouldn't bother pulling the starter until you check that first, it's easy. Just make SURE the shifter is in neutral before jumping the terminals on the solenoid. If it WON'T crank over on the key ("click") but it WILL turn over when you jump the terminals, then the problem isn't in the battery, or the cables, or the starter, or the solenoid.

 

Some cars have this (I think earlier cars), but some don't. I have the left-rear battery location with bullet connectors under the air filter, but no connection block. Edit: Oh, and welcome to Fchat!

 

Ok, its called a terminal box not a block, Ferrari part no. 153357. Sometimes vibration and\ or corrosion can cause what is being described.

 

YEAH!

It's a terminal box...............

 

That first comment of yours leads me to believe that your starter has worn out contacts and plunger in the starter motor solenoid.

Its only 3 bolts to remove the starter and a few screws to pull it apart. Wont take long to confirm this.

The contacts and plunger 90% of the time are a universal fit. Take the parts to your local auto-elec to match them up.

Happy wrenching Dave.

 

Excellent job, Dave

 

Pappy was spot on.

Nice work Dave. Thanks for the update.

 

Mine still "clicked" after replacing the contacts as shown. It wasn't permanently fixed until I installed the backup relay. I hope yours is OK now!

 

Were your contacts worn were they?

 

My contacts looked just like the picture above - burned and pitted. At first I just gave them a good cleaning - still clicked. Then I had an expert replace them and check over the rest of the starter. It worked fine on the bench, every time. But when installed in the car, it worked about 75% of the time, then 50%, then 25%. Then I installed the backup starter BUTTON, which worked 100% of the time. Eventually I installed the relay to increase voltage to the solenoid, and that has worked 100% of the time, so I removed the button.

 

Interesting.

I fitted my relay (as you know), but only because I could tell it was a little sluggish when cranking. Got an extra volt at the starter now.

But my car NEVER clicked before I did that mod. It occasionally clicks now. Say once every few months and I assume I need to clean/replace the contacts in the starter. I will do so when I pull the engine for the major.

Errrrr..............in a few years time.

 

Nice job!

Thanks for getting back to us, and letting us know the outcome, AND......for the nice pics of the fix. This will surely help out the next guy.

 

Lucky guess, it was a lucky guess.

 

Resurrecting:

Finally got to mine this weekend after it refused to restart last weekend. I got in to try it this weekend and CLICK! and no crank. Here's a quick writeup.

1. Disconnect the battery! This was a perfect time to install the new battery cable that came with the car when I bought it 8 months ago. The battery cable that came out had actually been taped together and ziptied.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

2. I pulled the airbox, and disconnected the large positive side plug so i could clean the connector.

3. Undo the positive lead on the starter, and remove the 3 bolts that hold the starter in place.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

4. With the starter on the bench, remove the 3 screws that hold the end plate of the solenoid plunger in place. There is a rubber seal under this plate, and the plate can be difficult to remove.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

5. Remove the plunger and inspect: This one is really pitted and corroded.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Image Unavailable, Please Login

I think this contact became misaligned when I loosened the positive lead in the car.

6. Clean everything with sandpaper and a little de-oxit, and reassemble. I had to take a file to the plunger and smooth out some of the pitting.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

7. Reassemble.

8. The car cranked stronger than it ever had. Everything seems to be normal again.

9. I was tying up all the flopping and looser cables (something I do from the IMSA team years), and devised a way to "lock" the cable holder in place in its little mount. (The one on my battery side seemed to have less spring to it). I found that a zip tie works perfectly to hold the cable holder tight, and won't let the cable come out (for whatever reason it would want to)

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Hope this is helpful!

Steve

 

Nice job Steve!

 

Slight "caveat": If there is an ongoing issue with voltage drop through the ignition switch, you MAY end up with the same problem (pitting contacts in the starter solenoid) in a short matter of time. Did you ever take a voltage reading at the solenoid signal wire (from the ignition switch) while cranking? If it's less than 100% battery voltage, it will happen again.

 

Well, it did it again. I'll have to check the voltage as you suggest, Jeff.

Anyone hear of these guys??

https://www.classiccarperformance.com/collections/ferraristarters-com

sjd