A while ago my '66 Dart developed an interment starting problem (once every 50-75 starts), recently it has been getting worse and now I'm not always sure it will start up.

When I turn the key sometimes its just a click, or I'll get slight rotation and then the stater will give up. It seems to happen more frequently when the engine is warmer, in fact I can't remember a recent time when this happened on a cold start. One last symtom, recently, on occasion, it will rotate the engine a bit more then slow down and die instead of just locking up after a very short rotation.

The start is a mini starter I pulled of a v8 dakota last fall (didn't replace the contacts). Also I believe the starter relay is the original.

So today I got a starter relay, its a piece of junk and shorted internally. I'll return it tomorrow but should I get another, quality (what would be a quality relay?), relay or find an alternator and starter shop and get some contacts first? Or, even worse, did I just pick a starter with a short life?

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'66 Dodge Dart

Sounds to me as if your starter or your positive battery cable is faulty -- If you get any noise from the starter at all, the relay's doing its job okeh.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I figured as much... Guess I'll put the stock one on until another mini starter pops up in the junkyard. Other than the usual Dodge V8s that use the mini starter, are there other makes I can find them on? I've seen link on the board to toyota sites that appear to mention the same mini starter.

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'66 Dodge Dart

RWD Mopars only, '89-'01.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Just for sake of closure, sorry for such a late response but I've been out of town, I went to a junkyard today and pulled an actual ministarter off an '89 Dakota. It is slightly different than the last one I pulled (which has been giving me troubles). The new one I have has a Chrysler sticker that reads np denso and is almost entirely silver. The one I pulled last year has a black mid section and looks much cheaper and lacks any markings (possibly a cheap clone?).

Anyway, so far it seems to be working much better than the previous starter, but I guess only time will tell. For what its worth, I had it tested and it draws 71amps, can anybody comment on about how many amps one of these starters will draw?

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'66 Dodge Dart

It sounds as if your old starter was a reman while the "new" one is factory. I bet if you opened up the solenoid cover (right by the battery stud) you'll find a burned copper contact plate under the solenoid plunger disc- that's the most common failure on these ND starters. It is possible to replace just the one contact, but you already have another (better) starter.

I can't give you free-spin amp reading- I almost never 'bench' test starters. On the eng I can see 100-200A depending on eng size & condition.

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63 Valiant Wagon
225 - 4 bbl

I'll post some pics when I get the chance but they look only slightly different. I could only find the all silver mini starters on '89-'91 Chrysler RWD vehicles (as Dan suggested above). However, the mini starters without any markings (sometimes have numbers, but thats it) can be found in a wider range of years, I found them on RWDs as early as '84 and as late as '93.

Dan, can you shed any light on the difference of these starters? I'm sure there was a reason you suggested '89-'91 over the other years with (very) similar mini starters?

Anyway, I haven't had any starting issues and I'm happy with my new starter, it seems much stronger than the last one I got.

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'66 Dodge Dart

'89 was the first year for the mini starter on RWD Mopars. Any pre-1989 vehicle with a mini starter has had it swapped on. Any mini starter without Chrysler/Nippondenso or Chrysler/Denso label cannot be assumed to be anything other than a knockoff/counterfeit item. The first five years or so of the mini starter had a longer motor housing, the later type was shorter. Initial paint was black, then switched to silver.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I've got a 66 270 convertible with the 225. I'm getting rapid clicking from the starter, but no crank. I'm not a serious gearhead, so I don't know what to test/replace next. Where should I start?? (no pun intended...)

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'66 Dart 270 convertible, 225, stock

Probably with the battery cables (internally broken or corroded, loose and/or corroded at the battery end) and the battery itself.

You'll want to get the three books described in this thread as quickly as you can, to get up to speed on how your car is built and how to fix it.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Got the shop manual. I'll look into the others. I'm not a complete novie mechanic, close, but not quite! My dad bought the car new and I've been working on it with him as long as I've been alive. I will definitely get those other two books. Wish I had found that thread a couple years ago.

It was the battery. Starts up great now. But....now it's discharging all the time, with lights and radio on it's about half way between far left and center. That would lead me to believe it is the alternator. I'll check into that next.

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'66 Dart 270 convertible, 225, stock

Alternator…regulator…wiring…ignition switch. Don't throw parts at it, quickly read up and learn how to test and diagnose the charging system. Start here (and get those other two books!)

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Will do. Thanks much.

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'66 Dart 270 convertible, 225, stock