[C2] C2 will not start
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2026
Posts: 15
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C2 will not start
I have a 66 327/350 that is in excellent shape. It has given me very few issues, but currently, it will not start. The battery is good, but as soon as I turn the key, all power suddenly dies. One minute, the clock is working, then suddenly all lights, clock, everything dies. It’s like a master electrical switch was just flipped off. I disconnect the negative battery terminal and reconnect it, and all is good. Then I turn the key and bang, it all dies again. It’s driving me crazy trying to figure it out. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is causing this? All of the electrical connections that I can find are clean. I even disconnected some of them and cleaned them with either a wire brush or sandpaper.
ANY help would be appreciated .
ANY help would be appreciated .
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,169
Likes: 4,172
From: Kannapolis NC
I have a 66 327/350 that is in excellent shape. It has given me very few issues, but currently, it will not start. The battery is good, but as soon as I turn the key, all power suddenly dies. One minute, the clock is working, then suddenly all lights, clock, everything dies. It’s like a master electrical switch was just flipped off. I disconnect the negative battery terminal and reconnect it, and all is good. Then I turn the key and bang, it all dies again. It’s driving me crazy trying to figure it out. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is causing this? All of the electrical connections that I can find are clean. I even disconnected some of them and cleaned them with either a wire brush or sandpaper.
ANY help would be appreciated .
ANY help would be appreciated .
if the red wire is the problem, the only thing that will work on the car is the horn, if it worked before.
Last edited by 65GGvert; May 23, 2026 at 06:29 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,169
Likes: 4,172
From: Kannapolis NC
Example of one of those posts: (there are many more, it is a very common, well known issue. Eliminate the battery and connections as possibility first)
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...revisited.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...revisited.html
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2026
Posts: 15
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Example of one of those posts: (there are many more, it is a very common, well known issue. Eliminate the battery and connections as possibility first)
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...revisited.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...revisited.html
Team Owner
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2026
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Thank you…I will look into the knife blade style…..I honestly am not sure how old the battery is……Not more than a few years old, but I am going to replace it anyways, Just in case. I do not really think this is a battery issue though. There is no slow grind or dimming of the lights when I turn the key. Just a 100 percent, immediate loss of ALL power.
I am going to try to look into some of these fixes later today.
I am going to try to look into some of these fixes later today.
stay away from the old **** style that compresses to make contact.
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From: EAST TENNESSEE
Race Director
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Thank you…I will look into the knife blade style…..I honestly am not sure how old the battery is……Not more than a few years old, but I am going to replace it anyways, Just in case. I do not really think this is a battery issue though. There is no slow grind or dimming of the lights when I turn the key. Just a 100 percent, immediate loss of ALL power.
I am going to try to look into some of these fixes later today.
I am going to try to look into some of these fixes later today.
It is, however 107.8% consistent with a poor connection between the battery and the starter motor.
My seldom humble suggestion is that you investigate the cable connections to the battery, the connections between the battery cable clamps and the cables, and/or the connections to the starter big post and the starter ground. I guaran-dam-tee you it's one of those which has deteriorated.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,169
Likes: 4,172
From: Kannapolis NC
This is NOT a symptom of either a dead battery OR of the dreaded Red Wire Syndrome(tm).
It is, however 107.8% consistent with a poor connection between the battery and the starter motor.
My seldom humble suggestion is that you investigate the cable connections to the battery, the connections between the battery cable clamps and the cables, and/or the connections to the starter big post and the starter ground. I guaran-dam-tee you it's one of those which has deteriorated.
It is, however 107.8% consistent with a poor connection between the battery and the starter motor.
My seldom humble suggestion is that you investigate the cable connections to the battery, the connections between the battery cable clamps and the cables, and/or the connections to the starter big post and the starter ground. I guaran-dam-tee you it's one of those which has deteriorated.
Last edited by 65GGvert; May 23, 2026 at 07:08 PM.
Team Owner
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From: CA
I agree that the battery connection or battery is most likely as I said in my first post. However, we'll have agree to disagree on whether it's a red wire symptom when you turn the key and everything suddenly goes dead. If the connection is bad enough, not enough current goes through to even activate the voltage from the key to the purple wire on the starter, and all the other voltage going cabin is shut down. Easy enough to check though.
Last edited by 66jack; May 23, 2026 at 07:40 PM.
Team Owner
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From: Kannapolis NC
because he said the clock and all lights went dead, those don't feed through the ignition. They would still work with the ignition switch disconnected but not if the red wire was not feeding 12 V into the cabin
Team Owner
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From: CA
But he said everything works, 'until he turns the switch', then everything goes dead...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Kannapolis NC
Exactly. Those don't feed through the switch, so the switch off or on would not cause them to go off unless it was disconnecting the power because of corrosion on the power feed or battery connection. Turning on the ignition would try to draw current through a high resistance connection. The same symptom would occur if the battery had an internal fault or even a cable connection bad. When the request for current is turned on, the bad connection drops the voltage. It can't be a bad ignition switch because turning it to start would not affect the voltage to the things that don't go through it to operate unless it is losing power from a source closer to the battery. It can cause the car not to start and accessories not to work, but not the clock, courtesy lights, etc.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2026
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Thank you all for the help here. I had no idea I would get so much info. Sorry I did not reply earlier, but it’s getting to be fire season here, so I was out all day dealing with fire mitigation issues. I will look into everything offered here. You guys really stepped up to help someone new here….