The BarnFindValiant has been running and driving just great over the last few months and I'm just loving this little car, however I've had a recurring starter issue that has gotten progressively worse.

My Valiant is a 76 model with a 225.

All I get when I turn the ignition switch is a loud click. The car has done this on and off in the past, but has always fired up after trying a few more times.

This morning, however, I got the same clicking, and tried shorting the two battery posts with a screwdriver....nothing....then I shorted the two posts again and it fired up.

This evening, I get the same clicking, but it won't fire up, even with shorting the two battery posts.

I've checked and thoroughly cleaned all of the starter and battery related connections, and I know the battery is in excellent condition. I'm sort of thinking its a solenoid issue, mainly because of the way the problem comes and goes. When it does fire up, it fires right up and you can tell the starter is plenty juiced up, but when it refuses, all I get is a click.

So....solenoid?....or something else. I've had mainly old Fords in the past and the solenoid is mounted on the fender. Do these cars have the solenoid in the starter?

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1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

the solenoid IS those pins u have been crossing to the battery cable.
it's built into the starter. u'll need to replace/get rebuilt the starter.
it's not as simple as the old Ford units.

D~~~!

Sounds like it's time to belly up and get a mini starter, I got 2 that I'm looking to get rid of.

Yeah...that's what I'm thinking. If you're looking to sell one of them, please PM me and tell me more about them (condition, price, etc).

Funny thing is...I had another starter laying around that was supposed to be a good starter. I installed it, and it's doing the same thing....just clicking.

Is there anything else that could be causing this....like a neutral safety switch?

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1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

Might check the relay, It has the battery hot going to it then to the starter. Seems odd that 2 starters doing same thing. :shrug:

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

I would second that...other brand guys commonly mistake the starter relay as the 'solenoid'... For a '76 is it located on the firewall on the drivers side...a quick test to determine if it's the neutral safety switch
would be to ground out the switch prong... and that would give you a start
no matter what (or what gear you had it in...).

Good luck,

-D.idiot

The BarnFindValiant is up and running again, and the culprit was the starter relay.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, a second starter did exactly the same as the first, and while it's not impossible that both of my starters would be identically defective, it didn't seem likely.

So...I checked the neutral safety switch wires all the way from start to finish...they were fine, then I went ahead and bought a replacement relay....and she fired up on the first try.

In fact, the BFV jumped to life just like it always has. This little car has always reminded me of a working dog of some variety, in that it always seems eager to hit the road and get to work.

So, here's a photo of the culprit, for those of you who are like I was prior to this starting issue (not knowing what or where the starter relay was).

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com