Edited: I went out to fire up the Galaxie to run a little gas through it. All I get is the dreaded solenoid click. I figured the battery was just low from sitting so I hooked my charger to it. I checked the voltage to the battery its 12.5, the coil 12.5, the batt side of the solenoid 12.5. The relay for the fuel pump and ignition kick in just fine, it has the TFI conversion I was talking about. No starter action. I even disconnected both cables (after cleaning the already clean terminals) from both sides of the solenoid, put the voltmeter on the battery and put the two cables, the starter and + battery together, and the battery dropped from 12.5 to .003, and not a click from the starter. So, either the battery is sulphated so bad that it cant even make the starter click much less turn over, or I have killed a starter.
I jumped the solenoid from putting the +cable back on and jumpering it straight to the "s" termial from the + battery with the starter disconsccted, and it is putting 12.5 (I thought, but today I checked it and it was only 10.8 jumping it at the + batt and "S" solenoid with the 50 amp charger hooked up) through to the starter side terminal, and it clicked shut, no buzz.
I can't quite figure out why it would have all the sudden died that way, you can drop the - cable on the battery and there is nothing drawing, no sparks or even a tingle on the volt meter. It jumps to 12.5 rock steady without even tightening it down.
I am suspecting a nose cone or bushing in the starter, but I am going to get the battery load tested first. But I even put a 50 Amp jumper charge to it and it still didn't respond at the starter, not even a click down there. 15.3 at the battery, though it did make the fuel pump run faster and it showed 15.3 at the coil but just the solenoid buzzing. Its odd that it just did it, after I juiced up the ignition but cooincidences happen. Maybe when I was dicking around and the solenoid hung up and it kept turning the starter (with the ignition and fuel pump disconnected) and I had to thump the solenoid to get it to let go I got the starter hot. But it started and ran fine after that, I had to remove the charge light to shut it off with the key, but it started and shut off fine then too. It must be a coincedence because there's nothing drawing and the battery showed 12.5. The DPST relay is locking in good and the punp and ignition light right up, and it still shows 12.5 at both the baterry and coil with them on with the key, so that should rule out excessive draw from that.
Head scratcher. Hopefully I can get a load test on the battery tomorrow. I wish I had a spare battery to swap in, but I have a stong feeling its the starter. It started and ran beautifully a few days ago, ferocious sounding the timing was right on, and you could barely let go of the key quick enough. Oh yeah and I can turn the engine by hand, so its not hydrolocked, so no weird head gasket deal or anything.
I'll have to have Billy take off the starter. Its the original one, I wouldn't be surprised if its dead. Fortunately its the modern style ('65) even with the Cruiso. If the nose cone is good, I may tear into it and see if it just needs brushes and bushings. I did let it idle awhile to see if the module or coil got hot at 11° initial last time I ran it, they stayed cool as a cucumber but the headers might have got the starter hot and it heat soaked and died. But I want to rule out the battery first.
My fun for today. And wouldn't you know I was going to show off how good it runs since I upgraded to the e-coil and TFI module with the points as the spout signal. Everyones's "yeah, yeah, I knew you'd F' it up"
