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  #1   IP: 199.20.121.93
Old 08-21-2006, 08:18 AM
columbia28 columbia28 is offline
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Solenoid problem

I am trying to get an atomic 4 that hasn't been operational for 10 years going. Right now I'm just trying to get it to turn over. I have the battery hooked up but the ignition switch doesn't have a key so I am just putting + and - on the small wires on the solenoid. I don't hear anything from the solenoid although I hear something probably from a fuel pump. Should I hear the solenoid? Is the solenoid that hotdog sized thing? Any tips for getting it turned over? I already put marvens mystery oil in the cylinders.

Thanks,
Tom
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  #2   IP: 38.118.52.41
Old 08-21-2006, 02:30 PM
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Tom,

Since the fuel pump runs when you touch a terminal on the solenoid (mounted on top of the starter), you apparently have a late model engine. To get a late model (Delco) starter to operate, you have to short between the large battery cable that connects to the solenoid and the "S" terminal. The "S" terminal is the small terminal directly below the big battery cable, and it is the only other small terminal on back of the solenoid beside the "R" terminal that you're using to run the fuel pump.

Don
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  #3   IP: 199.20.121.93
Old 08-22-2006, 07:21 AM
columbia28 columbia28 is offline
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Problem 1 solved

It turned out that even though I got the battery that was sitting for 10 years back up to 12.7 V it didn't have enough power to turn the starter. Changed the battery to a new one and now I have the engine turning over. That was a great feeling. I hooked up a compression tester and got no reading on any of the cylinders. Maybe the compression tester is bad. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Tom
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  #4   IP: 38.118.52.41
Old 08-22-2006, 08:04 AM
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Tom,

You can hold a thumb over each spark plug hole while turning the engine over for a second or two on each cylinder to confirm no compression. If you really have no compression on any cylinder, it's likely that one or more valves are stuck open in each cylinder.

You can see the top of each intake valve directly below the spark plug hole in each cylinder, but the exhaust valves are off to the side of each hole (fore and aft). The exhaust valve in number one and four cylinders is in the direction of the flywheel and reversing gear respectively, and the exhaust valves in the two center cylinders can be seen by looking toward the center of the engine in each case.

Intake valves can usually be tapped down rather easily through the spark plug hole, and we have had some success with freeing exhaust valves using a gently bent common screwdriver threaded in through the spark plug hole to push them down; but in cases where an engine has been sitting as long as yours, if a valve is stuck in each cylinder, it will probably be necessary to remove the head to free the valves.

Don
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