Help! Solenoid kicks; engine does not Crank

I

IHCScout78

Member
IH 345, auto tranny, mean green starter, good battery.

When I try to start, the solenoid kicks out the pinion and it engages, then there is a hammering that can be felt and heard. The engine does not spin.

The engine can be rotated by hand, or at least with a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer bolt.

I took the starter to the parts store for a test; seemed to work fine no load. Parts store says starter is good.

The truck started fine before I took it apart for a rebuild.:mad2:
 
What did you rebuild? Sounds like a bad solenoid to me. When the solenoid engages, it makes contact between the battery and the starter, or at least it's supposed to.
 
Hi,

I rebuilt the engine.

I just checked voltage drop at the battery; 11.9v is as low as it got, confirming battery is not the issue.

I watched the starter engage the ring gear from under the truck. Contrary to my first post, the engine does turn, but erratically. Probably goes with the hammering sound.
 
The IH supplied starter requires a spacer between the starter and the engine block when used with a tf727 auto trans.
I do not know if the "mean green" starter does as well, but I would definitely look into it.
Do you still have the old starter? Maybe the spacer is still attached to it?
 
Hi,

the mean green is the old starter:)

worked fine before I rebuilt the engine. Itis installed with the auto transmission spacer. I have laid under the truck during cranking; the starter pinion engages the ring gear. The engine turns, but it is erratic with lots of banging.
 
ihcscout78 said:
hi,

the mean green is the old starter:)

worked fine before I rebuilt the engine. Itis installed with the auto transmission spacer. I have laid under the truck during cranking; the starter pinion engages the ring gear. The engine turns, but it is erratic with lots of banging.
Click to expand...

I can't hear it from where I am, but it sounds like the torque convertor May not be seated properly.
 
Hi,

given that nothing was wrong with the starter before, I am looking for alternatives and your comments are welcome. I am not sure, however, how the torque converter can be installed incorrectly.

The tc is bolted to the flex plate and torqued to spec. There is only one orientation for mounting the tc to the flex plate based on the hole pattern. I thought the transmission input shaft and reaction shaft must be properly engaged or it would not all fit together. What am I missing?
 
Sounds like the battery or connections are not supplying enough current to hold the solenoid in and turn the engine.
The hammering is the solenoid falling off as the motor connection is made in the solenoid. That connection will suck the voltage down if things are not sound enough to maintain the voltage required to hold the solenoid in.

Did you reconnect the engine ground? Charge the battery and clean the post connections? Verify the battery cable voltage at the starter while trying to crank the engine. Probably want to see 8-9 volts min.
 
Hi,

thanks for your comments.

The issue turned out to be the transmission relay and/or nuetral safety switch. The hammering must have been the relay oscillating. I don't know if this resulted from a relay failure or low voltage from the nuetral safety switch, but I bypassed the relay and the starter functions perfectly.:yesnod:

I bought my first Scout in 83, and have had 4 more since, but this issue was a new to me.

I did learn one other important thing: you cannot see through bifocals while upside down with your head shoved under the dash.
 
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