starting help

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beerboy

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just was out getting my 1973 duster ready for spring car been sitting for the winter. put batter, y in that was on a tender get in and turn key ---nothing no sounds at all . lights work , radio battery is good. everything worked fine before car was put away. replaced ballast. stiill nothing at the key. cannot understand what it could be never has happened before after winter storage. starter shot, ignition switch bad?? any ideas ? thanks
 
beerboy said:
just was out getting my 1973 duster ready for spring car been sitting for the winter. put batter, y in that was on a tender get in and turn key ---nothing no sounds at all . lights work , radio battery is good. everything worked fine before car was put away. replaced ballast. stiill nothing at the key. cannot understand what it could be never has happened before after winter storage. starter shot, ignition switch bad?? any ideas ? thanks
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Tighten the wire that runs down to the starter from the relay. Mine does this every once in awhile.

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Learn to troubleshoot.

No1 is watch headlights while twisting the key to start, looking for ANY change. LISTEN with hood and driver's window open, can you hear the "click" of the starter relay? As someone suggested..........wiggle the shifter from park through reverse and neutral while holding the key in "start" and listen for any click/ crank/ etc

If that gives you nothing, concentrate on the starter relay and it's wiring

MINIMUM you need and NO EXCUSES for electrical troubleshooting is some sort of test lamp, a couple or 3 robust "alligator clip" wires, and a multimeter

Now, look at starter relay..........there are 4 terminals. The "big stud" is battery, and also one of the relay contacts. The "big square" screw terminal goes to the starter. So first, see if the starter will crank. Make CERTAIN the transmission is in park/ neutral, and jumper "anything metal" across those two (the two largest, and bare) terminals. Starter should crank engine

If that is OK, now troubleshoot the relay magnet/ coil circuit. Your start wire, usually yellow, comes from the ignition switch.........through the bulkhead connector........and out to one of the two push on "flag" terminals of the relay, which is one coil terminal. Through the coil and out the remaining flag terminal, that wire goes down the firewall to the transmission and connects to the MIDDLE terminal of the neutral safety switch, which grounds that wire in park or neutral.

So first unplug the NSS wire going down the firewall. Take a "clip" wire and ground that flag terminal. Try the key. If it works, the trouble is in the NSS wire, the NSS connector or switch, or the trans/ shifter linkage

If it will not crank, "back probe" the yellow wire from the remaining flag terminal, and test it for voltage when the key is in "start." If you have voltage and the other relay "flag" terminal is grounded, and it will not crank,.................replace the relay
 
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Try the cables connected to the battery. Disconnect positive and then negative make sure battery posts are clean. I did have that problem and redoing the posts solved my problem.
 
I've had a "good battery" read 12.6 volts and wouldn't crank my slant. Gave me correct voltage but wouldn't supply enough amperage to activate the crank circuit........I would take 67dart273's advice. He is a wizard.
 
Dartswinger70 said:
Friggin old cars.. imagine this the way of life 50 years ago...:)
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I hope you are kidding. We "thought nothing of it." My dad had an early 50's GMC 1 ton he used up into the late 70's. Our family tractor up until about the same time was a 23-28 model Farmall known as a "Farmall Regular." After that Dad went through a few, a '50's Farmall C and an Allis about the same vintage.

I still have and early '50's Farmall "100" same as a super A. it does have a Pertronix that was on it when I bought it. Starts instantly in any weather, if the battery is up. I do run the carb out of fuel every shut down to keep it dry and not gum up. Sometimes it sits for weeks before I need it
 
CFD244 said:
I've had a "good battery" read 12.6 volts and wouldn't crank my slant. Gave me correct voltage but wouldn't supply enough amperage to activate the crank circuit........I would take 67dart273's advice. He is a wizard.
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Ignore the old man behind the curtain LOL

 
Simple test to isolate the problem: have an assistant turn the key while you put your finger on the starter relay. You should feel it click. No click could mean ign sw, wiring or faulty relay.
If it clicks, it could still be the relay [ pitted/worn/oxidised contacts ], but could also be the starter or wiring to starter.
I presume you have thoroughly cleaned the battery terminals?
 
Check the clutch pedal safety switch make sure the car is in nuetral turn the key & flick the switch a couple of times . Thats if it has 1
 
battery posts were clean . clutch pedal switch has been disconnected a long time ago. battery was on a tender for the winter, done the same thing for the last 12 years and never had this problem, all lights , radio etc working , still checking out starter relay.
 
Dana67Dart said:
50 years ago the car would have been driven all year long.

By any chance do you have rodants in your storage location?
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yes and I seem to recall my mom getting her 66 Chevelle tuned up every 6 months. or she would say in late fall" time for points and plugs" anything to avoid that winter flood / no start situation. No on the rodents but its possible I see field mice outside every once in a while. I hear moth balls will keep them out of your car.
 
Dartswinger70 said:
yes and I seem to recall my mom getting her 66 Chevelle tuned up every 6 months. or she would say in late fall" time for points and plugs" anything to avoid that winter flood / no start situation. No on the rodents but its possible I see field mice outside every once in a while. I hear moth balls will keep them out of your car.
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yup use a half ton of clothes dryer sheets scattered all around engine and interior same prosedure as always , but you never know if somehting got in there
 
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