My 75 WON'T START!!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,713
Likes: 31
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
My 75 WON'T START!!!
Ok...tonight, after a local car cruise with my Vette, I came home and checked for any oil leakage on my new valve covers I had installed earlier this afternoon. I took a rag and reached down between the firewall and the heads to "wipe" it down and see if I had any leaks. There were none...anyway, I went to start it to park it in the garage and NOTHING!!!!
No click, nothing!!! The first thing I did was check the lights...they worked and were bright. I checked (with a meter) the battery....12.97 volts. Could not check the the starter....pipes were still hot. Several thoughts: Heat soak on the starter....(tried a few minutes ago, with the engine cold)...NOTHING.
Neutral Saftey Switch? How do you check to see it it failed? AND would it happen all of a sudden? How do I check to see if juice is getting to the starter (plan to do that in the morning). ANY help would be appreciated!! The car has been running like a top and GAVE NO indication of ANY kind of failure...you know...slow starting, sputtering or anything....HELP!!!
No click, nothing!!! The first thing I did was check the lights...they worked and were bright. I checked (with a meter) the battery....12.97 volts. Could not check the the starter....pipes were still hot. Several thoughts: Heat soak on the starter....(tried a few minutes ago, with the engine cold)...NOTHING.Neutral Saftey Switch? How do you check to see it it failed? AND would it happen all of a sudden? How do I check to see if juice is getting to the starter (plan to do that in the morning). ANY help would be appreciated!! The car has been running like a top and GAVE NO indication of ANY kind of failure...you know...slow starting, sputtering or anything....HELP!!!
Last edited by vetteguy75; Jun 17, 2006 at 11:56 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,713
Likes: 31
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
Good idea...I'll do that in the morning...I did, however, check the wires to the HEI distributor...and all the wires were connected to the distributor...I did not check the wires coming from the firewall to the distributor...where would that be located?
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
From: Chehalis Wa
I replaced the heads on my 78 a couple of weeks ago. When I went to crank it up NOTHING!!
I spent two or three hours looking at the clutch safety switch, distributor etc, ..... I had jerked on the harnness going to the starter and one of the
wires had "slipped" from the connector on the firewall. It looked intact
but one wire was not locked in the harness. Check this out. Good luck!
I spent two or three hours looking at the clutch safety switch, distributor etc, ..... I had jerked on the harnness going to the starter and one of the
wires had "slipped" from the connector on the firewall. It looked intact
but one wire was not locked in the harness. Check this out. Good luck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 10
From: New Paltz, New York USA
Went through the same thing with my 81. Turned out to be a bad starter. Have someone turn the key to the start position and check at the starter to see if there is power there. Check the small wire at the starter.
The car should start in neutral. May be the nrutral safety switch just out of adjustment. Good way to tell is take the car where there is nothing in its way and put your foot on the brake and try to start it in one of the other positions. If it starts in D,R or one of them then your switch needs to be adjusted.
The car should start in neutral. May be the nrutral safety switch just out of adjustment. Good way to tell is take the car where there is nothing in its way and put your foot on the brake and try to start it in one of the other positions. If it starts in D,R or one of them then your switch needs to be adjusted.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,713
Likes: 31
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
OK guys...I will give all the suggestions a shot in the morning (heck of a Fathers Day...oh well).
One question...would a starter failer be suddenly? or would it give hints and clues that it was about to fail?
One question...would a starter failer be suddenly? or would it give hints and clues that it was about to fail?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 9,078
Likes: 7
From: DFW TX
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
You guys are making this real hard. There is a plug/terminal on the passenger side of the firewall. It is for your starter and the main power to your car. You probably hit it and made a bad connection. Cleaning the engine with Simple Green sometime will also do it. Just put the key in the ignition and wiggle the plug. I bet she will start buzzing.
Also a good test is to turn your head lights on. If the shine and nothing else works, this it your problem.
Also a good test is to turn your head lights on. If the shine and nothing else works, this it your problem.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,713
Likes: 31
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
Originally Posted by Budman78
There is a plug/terminal on the passenger side of the firewall. It is for your starter and the main power to your car. You probably hit it and made a bad connection. Cleaning the engine with Simple Green sometime will also do it.
FOUND IT!!! When I was checking the back of the heads for any leaks....I had pulled the wire loose....plugged it back in a VARROOOOOMM
THANKS GUYS for all the input...That's what the forum is all about....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 9,078
Likes: 7
From: DFW TX
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Usually just jiggling it will get it started again. Engine cleaners are hell on those contactors, so make sure to spray them with silcone or electrode cleaner.
