<VV> In need of your expertise: issues with electrical system???

[Norman C. Witte]

Many years ago I stalled my first '65 Corsa at a light late at night in a
fairly bad neighborhood in Detroit.  Turned the key, nothing.  I jumped out
of the car, opened the engine lid, wiggled the terminals real hard, hopped
back in and the car started.  I wasn't too worried because I knew what the
problem was, but you should have seen the look on my passenger's face.  Not
the best place or time to be stranded.

Greg, when you're done cleaning those terminals with a wire brush or some
emory cloth, coat them with vaseline and TIGHTEN the bolts on the clamps.
If they are the original spring type, take a hammer and lightly rap on
either side of the clamp to drive them all the way down the terminal.  The
vaseline prevents corrosion so that the contact stays clean between the
terminal and the post.

Norm Witte

> -----Original Message-----
> From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
> [mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org]On Behalf Of Harry Yarnell
> Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 10:41 AM
> To: Greg Pirker; virtualvairs at corvair.org
> Subject: Re: <VV> In need of your expertise: issues with electrical
> system???
>
>
> Probably the battery terminals need cleaning. Or tightening.
> Give them a
> quick twist or rap with a hammer, and see if it won't
> start.Common problem.
>
> Harry Yarnell
> Perryman Garage and Orphanage
> hyarnell1 at earthlink.net
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Greg Pirker" <gpirker at adelphia.net>
> To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 10:31 PM
> Subject: <VV> In need of your expertise: issues with
> electrical system???
>
>
> > Lemme paint a picture before I dive into the problem.
> >
> > I am the proud owner of a '65 Monza Convertible.  I really
> enjoy driving
> > this car and will find almost any reason to do so.
> >
> > Friday was a bright and sunny day in Pittsburgh.  Temps in
> the low 70's.
> > Not very windy.  Lots of sunshine.  I was working from home
> and needed a
> > quick break.  This was a picture perfect
> > day to take the convertible out for a quick trip to COMP USA.  I was
> > enjoying the trip as part of the journey runs on what we
> 'Burghers call
> > the
> > Parkway.  I get to cruise at 60-65 MPH but have lots of
> exits should I
> > have
> > any issues (I lost a belt out there last year and had to
> fix it on one of
> > those exits.  Life saver.)
> >
> > I got to COMP USA, bought my network switch and a Diet
> Pepsi.  Got out to
> > my
> > Monza.  Put the key in the switch.  Saw the ready lights on
> the dash.  Not
> > a
> > sound from the starter after I turned over the key.  I
> tried again to the
> > same silence.  I had the same issue two other times this
> summer and was
> > able
> > to circumvent it by pulling of the negative battery cable
> and replacing
> > it.
> > Then the car would turn over.  However, this time, it was a
> goner.  It was
> > worse now than before as I had added a total blackout to my
> problems.
> > There
> > were no interior lights, head lights, etc.
> >
> > I called AAA and had them send me a flat bed to haul my
> Vair home.  The
> > gentlemen who showed up used to own a '66 Monza four door
> and he gave
> > things
> > a quick look.  I told him what had worked before and how I
> thought it
> > might
> > be a dead battery.  He got his emergency jump kit out of
> the car and
> > jumped
> > the Vair to life.  Nice save on his behalf.  I gave him $10
> for his time
> > and
> > reminisced some more with him about Vairs.  He followed me
> home on the
> > Parkway until we had to take different exits.  With a wave
> and heartfelt
> > gratitude, I turned off and made my way back to the domicile.
> >
> > When I got home, I pulled the battery and took it to Sears
> for a test.  It
> > turned out to be good and was charged to 540 Amps.  I took
> the battery
> > home
> > and put it back in the Vair.  Things looked good as I once
> again got the
> > ready lights on the dash when I turned over the key.
> However, when I
> > tried
> > to start the Vair I got a fat lot of nothing.  Now I once
> again have a
> > total
> > blackout as well.  There are no interior lights, head
> lights, etc.  Very
> > strange.
> >
> > I pulled the battery and gave it a bench test.  It has
> 12.67 Volts on the
> > multimeter and when I tried to charge it on my trickle
> charge, it says
> > that
> > the charge is complete. Things look OK from a battery
> perspective, but not
> > so good from and electrical perspective.
> >
> > I have been working on this beast for almost five years and
> taught myself
> > almost everything I know. My dad passed away in 2000
> otherwise I would
> > have
> > called him first.  He would have driven over, fixed the
> problem with a
> > bobby
> > pin, a gum wrapper, the shoelace from his sneaker and a
> beer bottle top,
> > proceed to give me some crap about not knowing what the
> problem was, and
> > then drive back smiling ear to ear, proud as hell for
> helping his son
> > become
> > a car fanatic too.
> >
> > Any hints, tips, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Thanx in advance for your assistance.
> >
> > Greg Pirker
> > Doer of Great Deeds, Champion Over Evil
> > Not so hot with the Vair (at least this week)
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
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