JPOR: Starter woes

[Obi-Wan <bvh@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm nearing my wit's end here.  Maybe you guys can help.
(No smart remarks, please.)

I wrote on another list:
>> All of a sudden today, my starter decided to make a loud, growling
>> noise when I tried to start my '77 Wag (401/TH400).  It's never even
>> made the slightest growling noise before, so it struck me as odd that
>> the drive gear teeth were all chewed up when I removed the starter.
>> The flex plate teeth were fine, fortunately.
>> 
>> Anyway, $6.99 and two hours later, I had a new drive assembly installed
>> and the outside of the starter all clean and grease-free.
> 
> Well, that wasn't the problem.  Reinstalled the starter, and the same
> growling/grumbling/grinding noise occurs.  Turns out it's coming from
> the solenoid, not the starter.  The stock solenoid passed the ohmmeter
> tests listed in the TSM.  My voltmeter shows 12.2V between the rear &
> front terminals of the solenoid.  I replaced the solenoid, and got no
> response whatsoever.  No starting, no noise, nothing.  Replaced it again
> with another new one, and now I'm back to the same growling/grumbling/
> grinding I had before.
> 
> I had the starter tested at Advance Auto.  They said it made more
> noise than it was supposed to, but it spun just fine & the amp draw
> was right where it should have been (pegging the meter & then dropping
> off over 3 seconds of simulated cranking).
> 
> The drive assembly I installed earlier turned a lot harder on the
> shaft than did the old one I removed.  The old one almost freewheeled
> when I spun it, but the new one requires a decent 2-finger grip on the
> gears to spin it by hand.  Still, it seemed to work when tested by
> Advance.
> 
> Any ideas what might be wrong?  The battery is fine (12.2V).  Even
> tried the good Optima from my YJ with identical results.  What might
> cause a grinding/grumbing/growling noise from the solenoid?  It sounds
> kinda like you're dropping walnut shells into a hand-operated meat
> grinder.

				-- Obi-Wan
				   '95.5 YJ, '77 Wag lawn ornament

-- 
Ben "Obi-Wan" Hollingsworth                               obiwan@jedi.com
"You know, he kind of looks like Yoda"  -- Jim Davis, about my baby Micah
            Anybody want to buy a Jeep XJ Dana 44 rear axle?