issue starting---74
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
issue starting---74
Hope someone has had this same issue. try to make it short
car has on occasion not started right after turning it off. won;t even attempt to turn over, just dead. seems to be when driven for 30+ minutes straight (engine hot). thought battery but it tests fine even put on new one and nothing. if it sits overnight no problem it starts seems to maybe be an hour or so and it starts as well (cools down) but nothing before that. put i a new started and no problems until 1.5 weeks later now doing it again. Put on a heat shield on the starter and doesn't help. as soon as i put on a jumper box or another vehicles batter it starts no problem (even if only 2 minutes not the 1.5 hours +.
Any ideas? It is a nightmare to have to keep starting this car when with my wife, she doesn't even want to go in a ride for it for more than 10 minutes.
thanks
car has on occasion not started right after turning it off. won;t even attempt to turn over, just dead. seems to be when driven for 30+ minutes straight (engine hot). thought battery but it tests fine even put on new one and nothing. if it sits overnight no problem it starts seems to maybe be an hour or so and it starts as well (cools down) but nothing before that. put i a new started and no problems until 1.5 weeks later now doing it again. Put on a heat shield on the starter and doesn't help. as soon as i put on a jumper box or another vehicles batter it starts no problem (even if only 2 minutes not the 1.5 hours +.
Any ideas? It is a nightmare to have to keep starting this car when with my wife, she doesn't even want to go in a ride for it for more than 10 minutes.
thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
Classic starter heat soak symptoms. Clean all battery cables at the battery, frame ground under the battery, frame to engine ground cable right side under the engine, and connections at the starter. Chances are you need a starter heat shield.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 42
From: Austin Texas
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ng-77-vet.html
I have a 74 also. The cables, if I recall correctly, were copper clad aluminum. It takes some effort to replace the positive cable but I was able to do it with the transmission still in the car.
I used a site www.custombatterycables.com measured the old cables and ordered 1/0 sgx for both.
You might get under the car and remove the frame to block ground, clean the frame and block surface with a wire wheel and clean the cables ends and remount. Then repeat this for the battery ground. You could easily add an additional ground at the starter to the frame also to improve the current flow. Adding another or improving the existing starter ground would be my first move.
Good luck. I was totally out of ideas. Replacing the battery cables was the only thing left because I was putting it off.
I have a 74 also. The cables, if I recall correctly, were copper clad aluminum. It takes some effort to replace the positive cable but I was able to do it with the transmission still in the car.
I used a site www.custombatterycables.com measured the old cables and ordered 1/0 sgx for both.
You might get under the car and remove the frame to block ground, clean the frame and block surface with a wire wheel and clean the cables ends and remount. Then repeat this for the battery ground. You could easily add an additional ground at the starter to the frame also to improve the current flow. Adding another or improving the existing starter ground would be my first move.
Good luck. I was totally out of ideas. Replacing the battery cables was the only thing left because I was putting it off.
Last edited by johnt365; Jul 5, 2014 at 11:57 PM.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
i put a heat shield on already and it didn't help. the cables on the battery are clean and all the connections to the starter are clean as it has a new on on it.
haven't looked at the battery grounds yet. I will try those.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 205
From: Lewes Delaware
If you replaced the starter recently, check that you did not reverse the R and S wires connecting to it. I had the same problem and once I wired it correctly, the problem went away.
Fran
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 385
Likes: 3
From: Leesburg VA
I replaced both my starter and, more importantly, my fuel pump when my 74 was doing the same thing. At idle, the fuel pump was not generating enough pressure to overcome the fuel percolation that was happening after it ran for awhile then was turned off. I also bought some insulator from Jegg's that covers the hard fuel line from the pump to the transition to rubber lines just before the carb.
My experience, your mileage may vary.
John
My experience, your mileage may vary.
John
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
same problem with mine 74 the seat belt/starter interlock system
7th Gear
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
One thing I have found on my friends 74 was the connector on the drivers side fender wall that has 5 ground wires on it. The heat melted the bake lite material just enough to allow the stud and wires to be loose. His symptoms were similar to yours. I removed the connector and reheated the stud then re-installed in the bake lite (I think it is bake lite). I was able to tighten the wires back down and then all systems worked normal.
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 50
From: Laguna Niguel California
One other thing. If you replace your starter with a cheap rebuild sometimes the solenoid is marginal. The solenoid can develop a dead spot and nothing happens. The solution is a new good quality AC Delco solenoid.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
"won;t even attempt to turn over, just dead"
I assume no clicking from the starter either.
this is not Heat soak problem or starter problem.
it is 1974 Starter Interlock circuit Problem.
I assume no clicking from the starter either.
this is not Heat soak problem or starter problem.
it is 1974 Starter Interlock circuit Problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,018
Likes: 1,118
From: North tonawanda NY
Hope someone has had this same issue. try to make it short
car has on occasion not started right after turning it off. won;t even attempt to turn over, just dead. seems to be when driven for 30+ minutes straight (engine hot). thought battery but it tests fine even put on new one and nothing. if it sits overnight no problem it starts seems to maybe be an hour or so and it starts as well (cools down) but nothing before that. put i a new started and no problems until 1.5 weeks later now doing it again. Put on a heat shield on the starter and doesn't help. as soon as i put on a jumper box or another vehicles batter it starts no problem (even if only 2 minutes not the 1.5 hours +.
Any ideas? It is a nightmare to have to keep starting this car when with my wife, she doesn't even want to go in a ride for it for more than 10 minutes.
thanks
car has on occasion not started right after turning it off. won;t even attempt to turn over, just dead. seems to be when driven for 30+ minutes straight (engine hot). thought battery but it tests fine even put on new one and nothing. if it sits overnight no problem it starts seems to maybe be an hour or so and it starts as well (cools down) but nothing before that. put i a new started and no problems until 1.5 weeks later now doing it again. Put on a heat shield on the starter and doesn't help. as soon as i put on a jumper box or another vehicles batter it starts no problem (even if only 2 minutes not the 1.5 hours +.
Any ideas? It is a nightmare to have to keep starting this car when with my wife, she doesn't even want to go in a ride for it for more than 10 minutes.
thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,018
Likes: 1,118
From: North tonawanda NY
I replaced both my starter and, more importantly, my fuel pump when my 74 was doing the same thing. At idle, the fuel pump was not generating enough pressure to overcome the fuel percolation that was happening after it ran for awhile then was turned off. I also bought some insulator from Jegg's that covers the hard fuel line from the pump to the transition to rubber lines just before the carb.
My experience, your mileage may vary.
John
My experience, your mileage may vary.
John
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 273
From: Dunedin NZ.
When the situation occurs, try jumping the start connections at the solenoid, this bypasses everything in the key circuit. If the car turns over you have a start circuit issue, in my case it was a worn key switch contact, there is an adjustment for this but I replaced the contact block anyway. It could easily be the seat belt lockout if fitted or the transmission lockout (only start in park or neutral) if you have an automatic.