Weird starter problem

[nybugguy]

I just changed out my stock 1973 1600cc motor and tranny with a 1835cc motor with dual webers and the tranny that was previously bolted up to a 73 super beetle.I didn't mix the motors and trannys...I kept them together. I bought this 73 super beetle for the sole purpose of getting the 1835 to put in my buggy.The car ran fine and sat and idled beautiful.....even revved it up a time or two to listen for any popping of hesitation but there wasn't any.Here is my question.After everything was hooked up I started it, it runs perfect for about 20-30 seconds and then the starter begins to engage slightly and starts to grind. I shut it off quickly and tried again with the same results. I tried shimming the starter with various thicknesses and it's still the same. Do I have something hooked up wrong that is causing a slight power surge that slowly starts to engage the starter? I only have the main power from the battery to starter and the one wire to ignition and the other to the coil.I also have a newer alt/gen with just the DF and D+ on it and I am about 90% sure that I have everything hooked up right but I am puzzled with the starter kicking in after it has been running for 20-30 seconds. Any ideas or diagrams? Am I hooked up right? Thanks for any help Guys.

[10ovr]

Just a thought,,Did you replace the starter bushing with a new one in the bell housing,,It could be hanging up and not disengaging all the way,,

[nybugguy]

i didnt replace the bushing because it started and disengaged fine before i took it out of the 73 beetle. any other ideas?

[10ovr]

After you start it,Pull the wire off the solenoid and see if it still dose it,,That well narrow it down ..

[nybugguy]

which wire do i pull after its started? if it doesnt kick back in what exactly does that tell me?

[10ovr]

Pull the small wire on top of the solenoid ,Thats the wire that comes from the ignition switch ,,,, If the noise is gone,You may have a short in the ignition switch,feeding power to the solenoid ,,If the noise is still there,,You probable have a bad starter ,Its a place to start,,

[10ovr]

Was thinking,,You have another starter,,Swap it out..

[nybugguy]

I have a brand new starter and already tried it....still the same thing.I will try pulling the small wire from the ignition switch after it starts and if it doesn't stop engaging then I will try another ignition switch. If that doesn't do it then I will be at a loss.Have a car show this weekend so I hope I can get it figured out. This is strange that it will try to engage after it has been idling perfect for about 20-30 seconds.Wish me luck and I will let you know what happens.Thanks

[10ovr]

If it still makes noise with the wire off,It's not your ignition switch,,Can you see any markings on the starter gear where it's hitting ?? or on the ring gear,,There may be something else hitting in there,,,

[drmiller100]

is the ground strap between the engine and body hooked up correctly?



if you have the ignition wired incorrectly, the car will not fire while the starter is cranking over.

so, they hook a wire from the up a hot wire from the starter engagement to the ignition circuit.

now the car starts, but the system backfeeds from the ignition to the starter circuit.

Unhooking the little wire (push pull connector) from the starter will tell you if this is the problem. Finding where the two are connected might not be easy.

Also, come to think of it, if someone hooked the idiot light wire for the alternator/generator wire to the starter circuit it would do the same thing.