1950 buick straight eight starter clicks but wont crank

hello

i just got my rebuilt starter and solenoid. Bench tested the thing and the plunger activates and cranks. Bought a new 6 volt battery. Placed items in the car and it will click but no crank. Sometimes it wont even click. Took out benched tested and it still works nothing got fried. Put back in and clicks no crank. Could the engine have seized and is there a good way to manually crank. Or any other help would be much appreciated. I have been workign on this issue for some time. I made sure there was a good ground.

can you turn the engine by hand?

Do your intierier lights dim or go out when trying to start it? Also check the battery cables. Bill

How long has the engine been sitting unused? Is it indoors or outside in the weather?

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

The engine has been sitting for 6 to 8 months. I have turned the engine by hand. And unfortunately I don't have any lights hooked up to check to see if they dim. I just purchased the battery and the rebuilt starter was completely overhauled. I cleaned the cables a little bit but could it be they need to be replaced?

The vehicle is inside all the time in a garage.

Cables are the correct gauge for the 6 volt system?

Yes they are. they were the original one that were on the vehicle. The vehicle did start up just fine and then we moved it to a new garage a while back and it would start and then one day it just started clicking and then nothing. So I had the starter rebuilt and put a new 6 volt battery. Rebuilt the carb at the same time and fuel pump.

Are you sure that the battery has a full charge? Bill

Yes just bought the battery a week ago. Took it back and they tested it. The only thing I can think of is the wiring went bad in the vehicle and might need to be replaced

Does your 50 have a starter relay?

I have the starter and starter solenoid I am not sure about a starter relay. And I don't see it on my wiring diagram

I do not see a relay either(took a look at the diagram). I would recheck all connections again and assure they are clean and tight.

I believe that in 1950, the relay was built right into the solenoid mounted on the starter. If your new starter has the later solenoid without the relay, then look for a relay on the firewall that might have been added later on so that the later solenoid would work.

If it only clicks some od the time it sounds like you have a bad connection. Is it also wired to the gas pedal somehow on the 50. Bill

I think the culprit might be the starter switch on the carburetor (which is activated through the gas pedal). My '49 Super wagon has the same symptoms at times, and it stays indoors, sits for a few weeks at a time. My problem is either stickiness or dirt or a bad connection inside the starter switch on the side of the carburetor. 9 times out of 10, tapping the metal part of the switch or the carburetor near the starter switch will get it to activate. I haven't had time to take the starter switch apart and clean it and its connections, but that's the problem on my '49. Sometimes it clicks, sometimes it does nothing, and when the engine is warm it works just fine. You can gently tap the starter switch itself but be easy on it because it is Bakelite and can break, but a gentle tap on the body of the switch with a big screwdriver usually is all mine needs. A harder tap on the side of the carburetor with a hammer also helps. You just have to jar the little plunger or the metal ball inside the switch. I would bet my lunch that this is your problem.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Leonard, Tx.