<VV> Mechanic Needed ...

corvairduval at cox.net corvairduval at cox.net
Tue Nov 17 18:36:27 EST 2009


A local club member had an odd one a few weeks ago. Car (64 Monza Conv)
would not start (not crank), just a loud click. So, solenoid was getting
current to the S terminal. Battery voltage was good (~12).

I measured the voltage at the large terminal of the solenoid with him
holding the key in start. Nothing, zilch voltage. It turns out the large
cable had slightly backed out of the terminal at the battery end. The small
wire exiting the terminal was connected fine, just not the large wire.
Could have happened when twisting the terminal off the battery while
swapping batteries to chargers. The cable looked fine. There was just the
slightest look on the cable that it had might have slid out of the terminal
a few mm.

New cable and all is well.

Frank DuVal

 
Original Message:
-----------------
From: Chris & Bill Strickland lechevrier at earthlink.net
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:01:06 -0800
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Mechanic Needed ...



>Nothing. 
>

The only conclusion that can be gained is the jumpers may have been 
hooked up but weren't making  good contact, or the battery was still 
dead as it wasn't adequately charged by the 'jumping' -- jumping is a 
quick way to get 14 volts at the battery, it is not what supplies 
current to start the car, although it may supplement it a bit

>She disconnected the positive cable from her battery and reconnected the
jumper cable directly to the positive connector, had someone turn the key
while she was holding the cable to keep it from shorting. Nothing. No
click, nothing.
>

*maybe*, IF the jumper cables were 00 gauge welding cable, and the other 
car had a 200 amp alternator, this might work, but typically, you need 
the battery in the circuit [or if you have an old worn out BMC product 
-- 948 cc -- that you can easily hand crank].  Take the battery down and 
get it tested, then charged AND tested again, in that order -- what she 
should have done with the first battery -- I have had new batteries that 
were failed when they were installed, and this is also possible -- 
anymore I generally have them test brand new batteries before I leave 
the store, as it can save a trip.  More likely a bad connection at the 
chassis ground or the  cable to the starter, or maybe the purple wire 
going to the solenoid is bad or loose or a bad ignition switch.  Do 
things like the headlights work, even a little? Dome light?  Radio?  If 
nothing works, it could be the hot wire from the battery forward has 
gone bad in the firewall plug connection,  a common 'early' problem.  If 
you have nice bright headlights, the battery is probably good and 
charged and the problem is most likely in the starter circuits.  With 
the headlights on Hi, what do they do when you hit the starter?

After she gets it started, then you still need to find out what the 
problem is, if it wasn't discovered in the 'getting it started' phase.  
Fan belt is good, isn't it?

Be Prepared -- trouble always comes in three's   ;-)   [this can be 
proven mathematically, as to the sequencing of any three random events 
in a series of events]

Godspeed!

Bill


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