I'm having this start up problem that currently has me stumped. Anytime I try to crank the engine, the starter motor will let out a loud click, and then the power drops out and nothing happens. Once I stop trying to crank it, the power returns to all the accessories. The headlights, radio, and gauges turn on normally. I had this issue happen a few times last year, but now it's stuck like this. So far what I've found is if I measure the battery voltage at the main terminals and try to crank it with a remote starter switch connected to the solenoid, the voltage will drop from 12.6 to around 5.6. The click is almost certainly coming from the starter itself, and it's quite loud. I can feel it if I touch the motor. The starter cable jumps a bit when power is sent through it. I tried using a battery charger on it with the engine start function with the same results. I've replaced the battery and the starter motor. The positive batter cable and the starter motor cable are also new. I have two new starter solenoids that I've tried swapping out. One is Motorcraft, and the other is Autolite. I've tested out all of the terminals of solenoids and battery with a multi-meter, and they seem to check out. I also thoroughly cleaned up the engine ground and bolts for the starter solenoid ground with a wire brush on a dremel tool. Any ideas on what to try next? I think I may take the battery in to get tested.
Since the cable "jumps" the starter is apparently drawing excessive current. Loosen starter bolts three or four turns and give it a good shake, retighten. If problem is same starter is defective, wrong or motor is locked up.
I removed the radiator and fan today to get to the crankshaft bolt, so I could see if I could get the engine to turn by hand. When I drained the coolant, I noticed there was a layer of oil floating at the top. I went to remove all the spark plugs, and when I got to the #8 cylinder a bunch of coolant poured out. After I moved the car on to the driveway I noticed there was stuff dripping off that part of the engine. I guess it was coolant. This is going to be more trouble than I hoped.
I got one of the heads off and the gaskets scraped off. Both the block the head passed the flatness test. Unfortunately the block is seized. The coolant spent around 3 months in the cylinder before I could get to it. I've been putting PB Blaster in the cylinders for a couple days and it's still pretty solidly stuck. There are much worse examples on youtube that people got unstuck. Hopefully I'll get lucky.
I spent a few weeks knocking on the pistons with a 2x4, and putting all sorts of oils in the cylinders. After a while I decided that it wasn't going to break free. So I got under the car and started knocking out all of the pistons, and I found one of the pistons was broken and a rod was bent. I got a new set of pistons and I've been in the process of cleaning and preparing all of the parts. When I got to the (aluminum) intake I found that the coolant ports have been seriously corroded. This is likely how the coolant got into the cylinders. The flatness of the heads and block checked out. Years ago I had serious problems with rust in the coolant. It took me a year or so of trial and error with flushes and treatments, until I finally found a combination of things that worked. I had to scrape a layer of rust out of the passages before I could get to the aluminum. I've been going over the ports with a dremel tool wire brush and digging out the pits with a small screw driver. I've been having a difficult time getting to all the corrosion in the deeper areas. I'm wondering if there are any aluminum corrosion dissolvers out there that anyone can recommend? There was one made by Loctite, but it's since been discontinued. My plan is to try and do a JB Weld repair once it's clean enough. From what I've read this seems to work, and the machine shop recommended it to me. I had been looking at getting an aftermarket intake at some point, but right now I'm on a tight budget.
