Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

My 400's starter (s) are giving me problems. Last weekend, the car weakly cranked over. I thought I had a weak battery. Moments later, I started the car and the starter produced a continued high screeching squeel. I turned the key off and the squeel continued until I disconnected the battery ground. With that, I decided that there must be something wrong with the starter. This starter has been in the car since the restoration was completed on July 2010. To get the car home, I whacked the starter casing with a big hammer and it turned over as normal.

I took an extra starter I had on the shelf from an old parts car and had it rebuilt locally by a reputable shop. Today, the newly rebuilt starter was put into the car and very disappointedly, the starter will only start after taking a whack with the hammer.

All thoughts appeciated.

Different or first solenoid with the rebuilt starter?

It does sound like a faulty solenoid.

Hummmmmm. Good question. Didn't occur to me whatsoever. I simply assumed it was new. Be calling them in the A.M.

The starter running without stopping is for sure most likely a bad solenoid, or sticking ignition switch.

Guaranteed it would not be the starter itself.

Ignition switch? Hummmmm.....same one with both starter units.........need to l@@k at that too.

55-6 switches were flimsy units compared to older. Sticking is a good possibility for the first problem but your description of the rebuilt starter needing a whack sort of puts it behind the solenoid--unless the whack is strong enough to vibrate switch as well.

I know the '54 ignition switches had a problem with sticking, and the reason why they were a one year only design. But you could turn the key and "unstick it".

I agree that the problem is most likely a sticking solenoid. Those style solenoids should still be available locally.

from post #1:
"the starter will only start after taking a whack with the hammer."

tHAT IS AN INDICATION THAT THE starter gear is NOT retracting after everything is shut off. If gear remains engaged in flywheel it will put too much load on starter and starter will not spin or spin very slowly. Hitting with hammer will shake it loose and cause it to retract thus allowing it to start the next time..

Also note that the ign sw. of 55 and 56's had a problem with KEY POSITION remaining in STARTer position (i.e. NOT returning to IGNITION POSITION) once key is released so check for that. It is easy to overlook. If starter remains engaged for any reason while engine is running then there is a strong possibility that the armature windings will get thrown due to the centripital force of spinning so fast ewven at idle speed.

There is also a possibility that there is somekind of electrical feedback in the wiring. But check the above causes first.

BTW, don't whack the starter too hard with a hammer. The cast mounting flange can break off or some other damage done. Ok to hit it a good whack but only about enuf to drive a 2" finishing nail worth of force.

I'm assuming it's delco. The solenoid is a actualy a solinoid with built in relay. Sometimes the relay portion of the solinoid can hang up. BUt only if the relay portion was not rebuilt. It is easy to rebuild unless the parts are very bad. It is more or less just a clean up of the heavy gauge contacts inside of the relay portion. Most mechanics won;t do it.