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BJ8 starter(?) generator(?) voltage regulator(?) problems

Query

I have a problem restarting my BJ8. Here is the situation:

1. I only get to drive the car 3-4 times a month, so I keep it hooked up to a "battery saver"- one of those chargers designed for infrequently-used batteries, so the problem does not seem to be battery-related.
2. The first time I crank it, it turns over quickly and cranks right up.
3. After I've run it for a while and it is hot I can't restart it. It usually barely turns over, if at all. I say usually because sometimes it will crank right up on restart, but not often.
4. In my limited knowledge of using a multimeter, the generator appears to be charging.
5. On restart, when the starter will just barely turn over, the negative terminal on the battery gets hot; I mean really hot.
6. From the "hot terminal" situation, I thought maybe the starter was drawing too much current, so I had it rebuilt. This did not change anything.

I'm sure my local restoration shop can solve this problem easily, to the tune of about $75 an hour and Moss+10% on parts but what fun would that be? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Responses

Remove the cable from the negative battery terminal and clean the both terminal (with a steel brush) and the inside of the connector (with a wire brush connector cleaner or medium emery cloth or sandpaper). Do the same to the positive terminal while you're at it. Wipe away the debris from around the terminals with a cloth dipped in a baking soda solution to neutralize any stray acid. Then replace the cable connectors on the terminals and tighten firmly. 10-1 this will cure your problem (and save $75 an hour).

For your safety, please check the long battery feed that passes over the right rear wheel housing. If you are feeling that much heat, it sounds as if you have a short in your battery cable system. I have found more than one Healey with frayed insulation in the hidden wheelhouse passage area creating a great deal of havoc with the electrical system. Of greater concern, this is a potential for fire in the vehicle.

I've had this exact problem on my '65 BJ8. It was the starter. Drove me crazy because I removed the starter, had an auto electric shop test it on the bench, it turned, so they said it wasn't the problem. I put it back in, spent many hours cleaning grounds, testing, leads. Finally pulled it back out, took it to a different shop where they did a highly sophisticated test called "the board test." If you can stop the starter fairly easily with a pine board, it's time for a rebuild. There are paper insulators between the field coil windings that disintegrate over the years and cause the field coil to short itself out. The armature and the commutator were really gunked up too. Check pg. 160 of the Haynes manual for the exploded view. The rebuild was under $100 bucks. Moss now makes a replacement starter for about the same. While I was at it, I put in a deep cycle battery since a couple of the cells on the other battery were iffy. Let me know if you need further instructions on removal. It's pretty easy!

Oops! Sorry, missed your last line about the starter rebuild. Was the field coil replaced? How about brushes? If so, you may want to check the control box. It acts as a voltage regulator/cutoff system. Battery overcharge can generate heat at the leads. Again, see Haynes pg.164 for the details, or when I have a couple minutes I'll get you more info.

Would first start by checking the condition of the ground cable. It sounds like you have a bad cable, consequently the draw and subsequent heat. Having a new cable made is a rather inexpensive project, however, installing it is a PROJECT. My BJ7 had the same problem before installing a new cable that I ran from the battery in the boot to the housing of the starter, thus eliminating any rusty chasis connection points.

An Update

The saga continues. I thought I had it solved by just tightening some of the connections that I was instructed to tighten. For a couple of tries after that she cranked right up, then I couldn't get the battery to hold a charge. It would even turnover when it was cold, and that had always been the easy part. I am on my way right now to get a new battery and see what happens. I will keep you posted. I am glad to know that so many others "feel my pain."

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