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Old May 1, 2010 | 04:32 PM
  #1  
Jerry Curl's Avatar
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Default Problems starting

Until now, I haven't had any issues with starting my 76 Vette. But today I took my son out and when I went to start the car it tried to turn over but stopped, almost as if it were a cold winter day. Then I turned the key again at got nothing. Zip. Only the lights came on. No sound, no cranking. Nothing.

I tried a few more times and then finally it tried to crank up and so I gave it some gas and if finally started.

I got home with no issues and so I then tried starting it up a few more times. Sometimes it starts right up, sometimes nothing at all, and sometimes it sluggishly tries to start up (again, as if it was starting up on a cold winter morning) and I have to give it some gas to get it going.

Any ideas?
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Old May 1, 2010 | 05:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Jerry Curl
Until now, I haven't had any issues with starting my 76 Vette. But today I took my son out and when I went to start the car it tried to turn over but stopped, almost as if it were a cold winter day. Then I turned the key again at got nothing. Zip. Only the lights came on. No sound, no cranking. Nothing.

I tried a few more times and then finally it tried to crank up and so I gave it some gas and if finally started.

I got home with no issues and so I then tried starting it up a few more times. Sometimes it starts right up, sometimes nothing at all, and sometimes it sluggishly tries to start up (again, as if it was starting up on a cold winter morning) and I have to give it some gas to get it going.

Any ideas?
I had a similar problem. It acted like it had a dead battery at times. Then, after a few tries, it would turn over faster and start. Turned out my starter had gone bad. You can have it checked at a shop before you have it rebuilt. Another area might be a bad ground with the negative battery cable.
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Old May 1, 2010 | 07:42 PM
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Easy and cheap stuff first- check the negative cable to the frame, then the cable from the block to the right motor mount stand.
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Old May 4, 2010 | 01:31 PM
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Hmmmm... I did just replace the battery a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps the cables are loose.

Where on the frame does the negative cable go?
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Old May 4, 2010 | 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Jerry Curl
Hmmmm... I did just replace the battery a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps the cables are loose.

Where on the frame does the negative cable go?
The negative cable is bolted to the frame right below the battery box.
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