85 Intermittent no start
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1st Gear
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1
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85 Intermittent no start
Have heat related intermittent no start typically only after couple of hours driving at highway speed on hot days. No solonoid noise but all other electical appears OK. So far has started fine after 15 -30 min cool down with hood up. Replaced neutral safety switch couple of years ago. Cables. ground appear OK at least as far as I can see... have not fully traced. Suspect battery or starter but before starting to replace parts would appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experience or suggestions. Thanks
Pro
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 678
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From: Oslo, Norway
Hi.
I have exactly the same problem. The starter/solenoid seems totally dead but everything else is ok. I thought it might be the battery and changed it as I bought a used car and did not know the age of the battery. It was not that. By "accident" i discovered that by loosening and retorquing the negative battery connector the car started immediately. This happens about every now and then 20 to 40 starts between this incident. Everytime if I retorque the neg batteryconnector it starts. The battery is new and fully charged. The battery connectors are surgically clean. I cannot find any logic reason for this to happen. The solenoid seems fine. What disturbs me is that the cure is retorqing the cable connector and it is a 100% hit rate. The only thing I have not done is change the cable. But why should it be that when the battery get carged normally and the voltage is normal. It has also happened when the engine is cold so temp seems not to have anything with it to do. I am a question mark. Are there anybody who has the cure?
I have exactly the same problem. The starter/solenoid seems totally dead but everything else is ok. I thought it might be the battery and changed it as I bought a used car and did not know the age of the battery. It was not that. By "accident" i discovered that by loosening and retorquing the negative battery connector the car started immediately. This happens about every now and then 20 to 40 starts between this incident. Everytime if I retorque the neg batteryconnector it starts. The battery is new and fully charged. The battery connectors are surgically clean. I cannot find any logic reason for this to happen. The solenoid seems fine. What disturbs me is that the cure is retorqing the cable connector and it is a 100% hit rate. The only thing I have not done is change the cable. But why should it be that when the battery get carged normally and the voltage is normal. It has also happened when the engine is cold so temp seems not to have anything with it to do. I am a question mark. Are there anybody who has the cure?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,923
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From: GA
Originally Posted by jan-erik
Hi.
The only thing I have not done is change the cable. But why should it be that when the battery get carged normally and the voltage is normal.
The only thing I have not done is change the cable. But why should it be that when the battery get carged normally and the voltage is normal.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 126
Likes: 2
From: Belmont MI
This same issue happened to me with my '85. I had a rebuilt distributor that I put in the previous fall and the following summer I had a hard start when warm issue. It took about 6 weeks of off and on tinkering (fuel pressure, injectors, ...) to finally figure this out.
What it turned out to be was the pick-up coil on the distributor. $15 at the local Autozone. The guy behind the counter 'guaranteed' that this was the problem. I, of course, was skeptical. He was right. There is a test in the Haines manual for determining if the pick-up coil is bad. You'll need a voltmeter to do it.
There is a good chance that this is your problem. Hope this helps.
What it turned out to be was the pick-up coil on the distributor. $15 at the local Autozone. The guy behind the counter 'guaranteed' that this was the problem. I, of course, was skeptical. He was right. There is a test in the Haines manual for determining if the pick-up coil is bad. You'll need a voltmeter to do it.
There is a good chance that this is your problem. Hope this helps.
