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.
 
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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.
 
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)
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)