start up problems on my 65 with a 302

OLE65

New Member
Mar 29, 2020
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GREENWOOD, AR
We bought a 65 restomod with a 302 which i think has been built up a little but it has started to 'JUST CLICK" sometimes when we try to start it. I have had the starter tested which tested good, changed negative battery cable, checked voltage on all wires to and from the starter. I do not know where to go from this point. I do have the starter off the vehicle at this point so any advise is appreciated.
 
Solenoids on vintage Fords love to fail with regularity. Jump the solenoid terminals with a screwdriver...will tell you for sure.(make sure the car is not in gear and make sure you arent touching the metal part of the screwdriver...that stings a bit if you are also grounded)
 
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this 65 doesn't have the stock starter solenoid setup. it has a newer high performance starter solenoid combined whch i took off and had tested and it tested as good. Guess it is time to start chasing downs wires.
 
Spent a summer in the 80's starting my mustang that way or parking on a hill so I could "bump" start it until I could afford to fix it. Still have the same car, good times
 
Engine/battery ground is what I would check next then....the old starter setup is better than the new combo type simply because its almost always the solenoid that fails and not the starter itself...and many starter/solenoid combos require replacement of the whole unit rather than just a $10 solenoid(from the perspective of replacement part cost anyway, the combos do tend to have more reliable solenoids and are cleaner as far as wiring goes)