1996 GTX Starter Lag

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Lothsahn

Active Member
I'd love some advice on my starter issues with my 1996 GTX. I had an OEM starter which was working well. One day, it just stopped working intermittently. You'd hit the button, no click, no motor, nothing. Do it a couple more times, and it'd start--maybe. I always keep the battery on a maintainer.
  • I swapped the solenoid, and when I went to start it, I found the main crankshaft bearings had failed. Ugh.
  • I bought and installed a rebuilt SBT 787
  • I installed a new battery
  • When I went to start the motor, the bendix wasn't disengaging. Took the starter out and found the gear inside the starter that engages the bendix was chewed to bits.
  • I installed a cheap aftermarket starter (all I had on hand), and it "worked", but it would often hesitate to start.
    • I'd hit the start button, hear a click from the solenoid, and then you'd have a 1/2 to 2 second delay before the motor would turn over. I assumed the aftermarket motor was weak, especially for a 787, and just left it for the rest of the season. This happens both in AND out of water.
  • This spring, I bought a Denso OEM 8-tooth starter and brush kit and installed it. I assumed it would fix the hesitation, but it has not.

Questions:
1) Is the hesitation normal for a 787--especially out of water? I know they require more torque (and an 8-tooth starter), especially with high compression
2) If the hesitation is not normal, what do you think might be wrong? Bad battery? Bad solenoid?

I'm happy to buy an extra solenoid or battery to troubleshoot.
 
Last edited:
I have a 96 GTX and there is no hesitation, in or out of the water. Load test the battery. Short across the solenoid and see if still hesitation. If still hesitation then probably solenoid but also cables to starter or solenoid can have internal corrosion or not making good contact.
Your original OEM starter might have only needed a brush replacement, commutator clean up, lubrication and possibly a bearing.
 
I have a 96 GTX and there is no hesitation, in or out of the water. Load test the battery. Short across the solenoid and see if still hesitation. If still hesitation then probably solenoid but also cables to starter or solenoid can have internal corrosion or not making good contact.
Your original OEM starter might have only needed a brush replacement, commutator clean up, lubrication and possibly a bearing.
The original OEM starter is in pieces. The crankshaft bearing failure caused the internal gear inside the motor that extends the bendix to turn into little pieces of shrapnel. It's very dead. :) I had previously rebuilt it, so the brushes and commutator were both in great shape.

Will run the tests you recommend! Sounds like a good plan!
 
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