C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 07:29 PM
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My battery was low the other day when I was trying to turn it over. I tried for about a minute just turning to the "start" position and back again. Eventually the car stopped turning over at all. I tried charging for 2 days and still when you turn it over you get 1 click from the distrib and nothing else. All other electrical things work however. What's going on?


Sorry if this has been covered, but didn't want to hijack another thread too much.
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 07:39 PM
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Low voltage from your battery probably burned the contacts in your starter solenoid. Solenoid is located on top of your starter, you can buy just the solenoid. You did check all battery cables to make sure they are clean and making good contact?
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 07:48 PM
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I,ve also had experience on older equiptment(old tractors and pickups) where the starter drive will spin out and get stuck in the flywheel teeth from low voltage. Loosen the mounting bolts on the starter and see if the starter drive releases.
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 08:14 PM
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To do any work with the starter, what would need to be removed? The clicking noise was just a choke for the carb by the way, so there seems to be no power going to the starter, but w/o a voltometer I've no way of finding out.

The circuit is complete as far as I can tell. The one neutral ground going to the solenoid looks a little burned from the headers but that looks like it happened many a moon ago and it had been running fine since then. Might try cleaning the contact on the neutral ground to the frame however.

Mark did the starter make any type of noise when that happened? Like it wanted to go but just couldn't? Or was it completely silent?

Also, can the fusible links be tripped? Can someone tell me where precisely were they are if so because I couldn't seem to find them.
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 08:16 PM
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Are you sure battery is charged??

A defective battery or one which has not been properly maintained might not hold a charge or will not charge at all.
How old is the battery?
Is the fluid level correct? Terminal posts clean? Connections tight?
You might just need a new battery.

Good Luck:
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 08:26 PM
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Battery less then a year old, 2 different chargers had told me it was full. First charger was on 2 days second was on 1 day, both said full.
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by 21boy
Battery less then a year old, 2 different chargers had told me it was full. First charger was on 2 days second was on 1 day, both said full.
2 Days? I hope it was a fully automatic charger. If not you probably burnt up the battery. I only put a charger on for about 15 min at 20amps to get a car to start. Had to do that today in fact to my 76. If you have the charger on do you get a sulfer type smell, if so the battery is burnt up.

I had a bettery a few months ago that was only 3 weeks old and would not take a charge after draining. I took it back to the store and got a replacement.
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 08:32 PM
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Try jumping battery to start car..


Put negative jumper cable to good ground on car and positive cable to positive terminal of battery thus eliminating your battery.

See if engine will start.if so BAD BATTERY....
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 08:46 PM
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They where auto chargers, I really like them actually. As battery was dieing however, it went from a very discernible attempt to turn over to nothing at all. It usually winds down very slowly and noticeably to nothing but a few loud clicking noises which is the starter. But as I said it just went to nothing but the choke. I will try the jumping method however.

Last edited by 21boy; Jul 31, 2009 at 09:15 PM.
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 10:18 PM
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Take your battery to an auto parts store that can test, or check, your battery. That will tell you if it is good or not. THEN you can begin to figure out what is wrong with your car, if anything besides the battery.
Good luck,
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Old Jul 31, 2009 | 10:30 PM
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Haaa.... Since popular opinion rests on battery I'll do some tests tomorrow..
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