Is your car hard to start?

67Dart273, you might want to weigh in on this.
IF YOUR CAR IS HARD TO START CHECK YOUR VOLTAGE AT THE BALLAST AT “START”.
7-9 VOLTS MAY NOT CUT IT.
I’m no newbie, but I get complacent because my car never gives me any trouble.
I drive a stock 73-ignition car 100 miles everyday for years.
The last couple of months it has been hard to start on rare occasion.
I suspected flooding from the Q Jet choke un-loader opening up enough.
Because I could eventually get it started with little trouble..
Get out.
Pull the pie plate,.
Hold open the choke.
Jump the solenoid. ETC.

Then this week, no start.
I didn’t suspect battery because the car turned over just fine.
It’s an old car and things add up.
Now I know that those stinking new computer cars can turn over but not have enough voltage to fire, but I didn’t suspect my problem because the car would usually start and run fine..
The battery was four years old and weak.
New battery, problem gone.
This morning I took time to check and I’ve got a voltage drop even with a new battery, I’m still “only” getting about 10.48 volts at the (single) ballast wire which goes to the coil at “start”.
It’s a brown wire on these cars.
Full battery voltage is supposed to be there at “start”.

Now I haven’t run down the voltage drop yet. I just got the new battery and drive the car every day. But I have another car almost identical and it has the full battery voltage there.
Never have a problem with that one.
No worries on trouble shooting my problem. I’ll find it when I have time..
Like I said, I’m no newbie and I’ve got factory prints. I’ll find it.


Let’s see.
Search words:
ECU
Hard Starting
Flooding
Voltage
Cranking
Wires
Resistance
Key switch
Start
Run

adriver said:

, I’m still “only” getting about 10.48 volts at the (single) ballast wire which goes to the coil at “start”.

Click to expand...

Actually that should be OK

You need to check voltage drop between there an battery. Easy way "one man" is use clip leads. Clip your meter to coil + and to battery +. Set the meter for low DC volts. Prop the meter up so you can read it and crank it using the key. Read the meter while you are cranking. This reading IS going to be the voltage drop.

Next, clip the meter at engine block and the starter "big stud." Once again, take a reading while cranking. This is your "cranking battery voltage" that is what actually reaches the starter.

Last, clip the leads to the battery. If you have two people, the most accurate is "stabbed into" the battery posts. The difference between these last two readings is the total drop from battery to starter. So, "let's say" you have 11V cranking "at the battery" posts. Let's say you have 10.5 at the starter. That's getting to be a fair amount of drop, ESPECIALLY if you run a mini starter, which draws way way less current that the old "wound field" starters.