Help...please
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 10
From: New Paltz, New York USA
Help...please
My 81 will not start, everything works but the starter. The battery is good, the starter is new (3mos.old) I replaced the 3 fusable links on the starter, took the starter out and had it tested. Removed all fuses and checked, all good. Gave up for a few hours and when I came back the damn thing started. Tried it several times and it started right up. Took it to the gas station this morning to get gas and had to call for a flatbed to get home.
Is there some kind of relay I am missing? I checked the neutral/ park switch on the column and its good. Tonight was the first local cruise and I'm sitting in the shed!
One good thing is that the tow guy helped me get the car up the ramp and into my shed so it would not sit in the yard. Thanks for any help.
Is there some kind of relay I am missing? I checked the neutral/ park switch on the column and its good. Tonight was the first local cruise and I'm sitting in the shed!
One good thing is that the tow guy helped me get the car up the ramp and into my shed so it would not sit in the yard. Thanks for any help.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,128
Likes: 4
From: Upland Ca
I'm guessing you have a bad starter. Was it new or reman, from where? If it starts every time cold and acts up only when warn it is bad and you will need to replace it. It's not uncommon to go through a few remans before you get a good one. I always install a starter blanket. Helps keep the heat away.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 10
From: New Paltz, New York USA
Yes, it is an automatic. The one time I got it to work it would only start in Park, when I put it in neutral nothing at all. I have ran through the P,R,N,D,1,2,&3 while holding the key in the run position, nothing.
The original problem started while the starter was cold, sat overnight, but when I got it started and went for a long ride it started right up again 4 or 5 times while hot.
Looks like I'm going to put the car away till I save up some money to get it fixed. Thanks for all your help. Enjoy the holiday weekend, keep safe.
The original problem started while the starter was cold, sat overnight, but when I got it started and went for a long ride it started right up again 4 or 5 times while hot.
Looks like I'm going to put the car away till I save up some money to get it fixed. Thanks for all your help. Enjoy the holiday weekend, keep safe.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 10
From: New Paltz, New York USA
Cortru,
What is the starter body T-bolt? I have 3 studs on the back of my starter, 1-large stud that holds a large wire like a battery cable and on that same stud are 3 small wires that have fusable links in them. 2-small stud that has 1 wire on it, 3- small stud that has nothing on it. Then in the back of the starter there is a threaded stud that gets bolted to a bracket to help hold the starter. Thanks.
What is the starter body T-bolt? I have 3 studs on the back of my starter, 1-large stud that holds a large wire like a battery cable and on that same stud are 3 small wires that have fusable links in them. 2-small stud that has 1 wire on it, 3- small stud that has nothing on it. Then in the back of the starter there is a threaded stud that gets bolted to a bracket to help hold the starter. Thanks.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: McMinnville Tennessee
the starter body t-bolt is the long bolt that holds the shell onto the starter,there are two of these.Take a thick piece of insulated wire strip the end then put an eyelet on it, remove this bolt put the wire under it and the other end to a ground source on the frame.If you have a test light you can check that the ground is good with a positive source. if you need to, pm me.
Last edited by cortru; May 27, 2006 at 10:35 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,028
From: eastern NC
You can bypass the safety neutral switch to see if that is the problem. If it starts consistently when you do this, try replacing (or adjusting) the switch.
One other thing that you haven't mentioned is the ignition switch that is located at the base (on top) of the column.
There is a rod that goes from the key switch down the column to the ignition switch. The rod moves a slide with multiple contacts in and out of the switch making different contacts that correspond to the positions of the key. The switch is clamped together to ensure contact is made. If the clamp is not crimped tight (they can loosen over time) the switch will work intermittently. If nothing else, it's worth checking out.
Good luck... GUSTO
One other thing that you haven't mentioned is the ignition switch that is located at the base (on top) of the column.
There is a rod that goes from the key switch down the column to the ignition switch. The rod moves a slide with multiple contacts in and out of the switch making different contacts that correspond to the positions of the key. The switch is clamped together to ensure contact is made. If the clamp is not crimped tight (they can loosen over time) the switch will work intermittently. If nothing else, it's worth checking out.
Good luck... GUSTO
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