Neg. battery cable question
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 670
From: Northeast
Neg. battery cable question
For the first time since owning the car, I experienced the no-start. After driving an hour on the highway, stopped to get a drink, then turned the key and no power except the key buzzer rang and alt light came on. Unfortunately I was between cars with no room but did check the batt cables and starter both appeared fine. Got a guy to push me and popped the clutch and it started.
Got home and it restarted everytime. Figured I would check the ground to frame and found this:
Changed the cable but am wondering. If it was broken why would it start everytime when I got home?
I do have a heat shield over the starter. Neutral safety switch is not connected.
Drove the car yesterday for 45 minutes and no problem restarting. Did I find the cause or look to the starter?
Got home and it restarted everytime. Figured I would check the ground to frame and found this:
Changed the cable but am wondering. If it was broken why would it start everytime when I got home?
I do have a heat shield over the starter. Neutral safety switch is not connected.
Drove the car yesterday for 45 minutes and no problem restarting. Did I find the cause or look to the starter?
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 497
Likes: 0
From: Streator Illinois
I assume your pic is of the old ground cable? Surprising since I thought the ground cable was black and not red. Maybe a PO changed the ground cable and the eyelet was not large enough for the holddown bolt and it was cut and spread out.
Did you try tightening or cleaning the terminals first before replacing. Could have been slightly loose or making intermittent contact at either end because of slight corrosion.
Did you hear a click with the no start situation? That would indicate a bad solenoid on the starter. Don't know what else to tell you but maybe someone else will chime in.
Terry
Did you try tightening or cleaning the terminals first before replacing. Could have been slightly loose or making intermittent contact at either end because of slight corrosion.
Did you hear a click with the no start situation? That would indicate a bad solenoid on the starter. Don't know what else to tell you but maybe someone else will chime in.
Terry
Last edited by tnovot; Oct 21, 2011 at 03:05 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 50
From: Laguna Niguel California
I don't know what your starter history is, but if it's got some age on it you may be getting into the condition where the solenoid fails to make contact, randomly and when it's most inconvenient. DON'T buy a cheap rebuild, it will happen to you again. I've learned the hard way. Buy a new GM-Delco starter assembly with solenoid.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 670
From: Northeast
No clicking, just like a completely dead battery, and yes he did use a pos cable for the neg line. I thought that is what happened to the end also and assume it has always been like that but bought a new one.
I waited for the car to not start again to try some things while in the garage but it always started. Connections were nice and clean that is what led me to the frame. Bolt was tight.
Starter is 10 years old.
I waited for the car to not start again to try some things while in the garage but it always started. Connections were nice and clean that is what led me to the frame. Bolt was tight.
Starter is 10 years old.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,372
Likes: 223
From: Beecher Illinois
My similar problem was caused by the starter solenoid.
Pulled the starter, removed the solenoid.
Then removed the plastic cap , inside you'll see there's a contact from the battery cable. You can turn that contact around 180* to get a new surface. A quick wire wheel to the disc that contacts it and all has been fine since.
Pulled the starter, removed the solenoid.
Then removed the plastic cap , inside you'll see there's a contact from the battery cable. You can turn that contact around 180* to get a new surface. A quick wire wheel to the disc that contacts it and all has been fine since.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If your starter solenoid is bad, you sure don't need to buy a starter. And, you can rebuild the solenoid and/or the starter for pocket change, instead of buying rebuilt [poorer quality] components.
Unless the starter bearings are bad (and they only operate during the starting function), the only things to 'repair' in the starter are the electrical 'brushes' which are a few dollars to purchase.
Unless the starter bearings are bad (and they only operate during the starting function), the only things to 'repair' in the starter are the electrical 'brushes' which are a few dollars to purchase.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 3
From: Lehigh county Pennsylvania
I would suspect that if this neg ground cable was so corroded that the starter wouldn't work, nothing would. Not the buzzer or the alt light. No circuits can make a path to ground without that cable making connection.
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