Need no start help

[gsjohnson]

MY 1968 normal... after I finished installing my new motor, the engine appeared to be cranking slow, but would fire up. I noted during hot restarts the starter would labor, cranking as if the battery was going dead and then it would suddenly crank faster and fire up.
I replaced the battery, but nothing changed. Over a few days, eventually the starter motor wouldn't crank anymore and it would just faintly click. I push started the car and drove it home. Once in the garage I tried to crank it, and again just a faint click. Still no happiness. I re-cleaned the grounds at the battery and at the trans ground under the car. Same symptom, just a faint click.
I then removed the starter and went down to the auto parts store and had it tested. It tested bad, so I installed a new starter. Same thing...just a faint click. Still unhappiness. I crawled underneath the car and jumped the starter with a screw driver from the battery cable post to the yellow wire spade connector. It cranked very fast and the starter seemed to perform perfectly.
Still scratching my head, I then pulled the ignition switch from the dash and jumped the thick red wire over to the yellow starter wire. Same thing...a faint click...No joy. I then replaced the ignition switch. You guessed it...same thing.
Now I'm out of gas and I need to be refueled by the experts here.

[edmayo]

If you take the yellow #50 wire off the starter solenoid and hook a voltmeter to it and have someone operate the ignition switch , how many volts do you get at the yellow wire?

[gsjohnson]

Thanks Ed. I'm out of town until Saturday. I'll check that and report back.

[gsjohnson]

Ok I have been working out of town for the last several weeks and I have been unable commandeer a partner for the starter volt measurement.
Update: I installed a ignition bypass and a 20 amp momentary switch with a relay and that appeared to solve the problem. For good measure I also had the alternator rebuilt and I replaced the voltage regulator as well. The car worked well and started every time over the last couple of weeks. This morning I again took the car out for a drive and I made a couple of stops, still with no problems. When I returned home, I parked the car in the driveway. Ten minutes later, I went to put the car in the garage and the car turned over normally and my hand slipped off of the toggle switch. When I went to turn the car over again, it then just clicked like it had before. I checked the toggle switch and retightened the mounting ring (it was loose), checked the fuses, checked the battery cables and tested the volts at the battery at 12.67 volts. So lets see...I've replaced:
Battery
Starter
Cleaned both the battery and trans grounds
Ignition Switch
Start bypass
Alternator
Voltage Regulator

Still the same faint click. Grrr...

[setho]

Check your cables.... Are they originals? Corrosion can build up inside the insulation, and you'd never see it.

[gsjohnson]

Check your cables.... Are they originals? Corrosion can build up inside the insulation, and you'd never see it.

If that was the case, why would it turn over when jumping the starter from underneath with a screw driver... from the battery cable post to the yellow wire connection?

[edmayo]

If it will crank that way it is usually because you're getting more voltage to the yellow #50 wire at the solenoid than you are getting thru the normal starting circuit. You're losing voltage somewhere. You're going to have to start with checking the voltage at the #50 wire at the solenoid and working your way back thru the system until you find the voltage drop. Since it all worked until your hand slipped off the momentary switch it might be possible that action damaged the contacts in the switch.. Remove the wires from the switch and by-pass it as a test.

[gsjohnson]

All this crap and I had a defective starter...Gurrr...
Took the car out for a 30 minute drive this morning...Happiness now...