bbcngineer

Folks,
Getting my car ready for paint now it won't run. I have taken the starter out to trace the wires. Fusible link on purple wire tests fine. The big wire from the battery sometimes won't light the test light. Go put the test light on the battery everything is good. 12.63 volts at the battery and 12.63 at the cable to the starter. Hook just the big wire to the stater and jump the selenide. I can get it to engage the bendix one time then nothing. Won't light the test light. I am thinking the battery is no good. Seems like over a few minutes it comes back. It was brand new in the fall last year. Am I missing something simple?
Kevin

gungatim

starting is fairly straight forward. you need a strong battery, good connections at the cables, motor must be grounded, full power to large post, power from large post to key switch, key switch must make good contact to start wire on small post, and solenoid must engage bendix while making contact with motor post to the big post (giving motor power).

intermittants can usually be traced to corrosion in the battery cables, poor connections at the battery, poor ground, or pitted burned copper disc in the solenoid (where it makes contact with the main power post). weak batteries can make the solenoid arc and burn inside, making even a fresh battery hard to start due to poor contact.

check and clean the battery connections. check the cables. make sure your battery is good, you can do a voltage drop test to see if you are getting full power under load at the starter to verify the wiring and connections. lastly is bad brushes on the starter motor itself, all the power to the starter won't make it spin if those are in terrible shape.

hope that helps.

PS. what I would do is run jumper cables off a fresh battery directly to the starter, red to pos post, black to starter case, and jump the solenoid with a screwdriver. if the motor turns the engine over just fine, you know it is wiring or battery...just be careful you don't short anything out with the big jumper cables...

Haggisbash

I would have the battery load tested and if okay check the main battery wire to the starter carefully as they have been known to fail internally from corrosion, also make sure that the earth strap connection to the chassis from the battery is good and clean as well as the earth strap from the chassis to the engine block. In my case it was none of these though, it was the worn key switch but engine would turn over okay if the solenoid was jumpered.

bbcngineer

Ok I had the battery tested . It is fine. Last night I ordered new battery cables. I have changed the ends and will retry until new cables get here.

bbcngineer

For those who said bad battery terminal or cable you were right. All back working. I will replace the long cable as soon as my new one comes in

doorgunner

Thanks for the update......several members have had starting/electrical problems lately.