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Most likely culprit is ignition switch. But as DUB was saying. FIND OUT! starter sol could be powering cool, but unlikely. It would want to fire starter too. A wiring problem could have just showed up. 40 year old insulation breaks down and could let wires cross. But the switch gets turned on and off a LOT. I had a boat ign switch do this exact same thing, but boat switches are generic POS's. Where in Philly?
Last edited by derekderek; May 9, 2018 at 05:23 PM.
Before you jump in and start adding things and doing other things. Verify with Petrronix on what they want to make their system work correctly. SO..adding a ballast may or may not be recommended by them and asking us is pointless.
I would say that either you have an bad ignition switch or you have the wire that goes on your solenoid making contact with the positive battery cable like I wrote earlier.
It would be wise for your to disconnect the negative battery cable until you get this resolved.
Most likely culprit is ignition switch. But as DUB was saying. FIND OUT! starter sol could be powering cool, but unlikely. It would want to fire starter too. A wiring problem could have just showed up. 40 year old insulation breaks down and could let wires cross. But the switch gets turned on and off a LOT. I had a boat ign switch do this exact same thing, but boat switches are generic POS's. Where in Philly?
Live in Florida now but originally from right across the river in Burlington, NJ.
The switch below is the column mounted unit that is rod activated from the key switch. As previously asked, you need to find the purple wire on the harness and see if you have voltage when the key is turned.
If this switch was not tight to the mount, it may have moved out of adjustment. Or the switch could be bad.
Thanks for all the help and I think we are narrowing things down. This is my first Corvette, and I'm trying to do as much of the work on the car as I can, as well as trying to remember when I worked on my own cars as a teenager back in the early 80's. I swapped the coils and got the car to start but it would not shut off and I ended up having to stall it out. The coil is obviously getting power from somewhere, so I'm assuming it's the ignition switch and that looks like an undertaking to complete. My understanding is the steering wheel has to be dropped to access.
Two things I failed to mention earlier. First, there may have been a slight battery drain present earlier. Typically, I would disconnect the battery when not driving as I only take it out on the weekends and only when it's not too hot (Florida), or too cold (convertible). Second, I did swap the alternator in late March.
So at this point, I'm thinking starter/solenoid or ignition switch is the culprit. Starter/solenoid replacement pretty easy, switch not so much. Anybody done this before? Also, can you access the switch to test without a huge effort?
DO NOT loose focus and disregard the fifth paragraph in POST #10.
POWER can be getting to you coil and keeping battery voltage on it EVEN WITH THE KEY OFF IF the wire that was originally installed by GM has some how got to where it contact your positive battery terminal...or the solenoid become defective.
This is where ..in case you do not have one...you need a wiring diagram so you can follow circuits. Because GM had the original wire that attached to the positive side of the coil ALSO join to a terminal at your solenoid.
The reason why I wrote it is because I have been through also and this being the problem on some cars.
DUB, you were right on it. I checked the solenoid wiring and one of the wires was exposed and connecting with the positive battery cable. Decided to take the opportunity and pulled the starter, swapped in a new solenoid, repaired the one wire and now it's operating perfectly. Thanks again, everyone.
DUB, you were right on it. I checked the solenoid wiring and one of the wires was exposed and connecting with the positive battery cable. Decided to take the opportunity and pulled the starter, swapped in a new solenoid, repaired the one wire and now it's operating perfectly. Thanks again, everyone.
I am glad that you took the time to check it out and find that what I had thought...was what it was.
I know that the ignition switches GM made for your car are really good and darn near bullet proof...so that is why I general do all of the advised checks before I go in and buy one and replace it. In 30+ years..I may have had to replace about 6.
FYI.
I have also run into this...and that is the jamb nuts that hold the threaded studs that are coming out of your solenoid can loosen. IF the one for the positive battery does this...it can effect ho well it works.
So hopefully you checked to make sure that all of the jamb nuts were snug.
You would be shocked on how many cars that have starting issues...when i go down and loosen the nut that holds the positive battery cable ONTO the stud...when that nut is loosened..the entire stud will have movement in it. And YES...that can make HUGE difference in how the contact inside your cap of your solenoid functions.
