Cuda acting up. Turn key and nothing?

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LovetheA's

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Hello everyone. I thought I'd put my problem I'm having with my car out there and let the diagnostic experts have a go at it. In the past on several occassions when trying to start up the car after putting the key in the ignition and turning it on there was nothing. I mean no click no anything just totally silent. This happened to me twice while at Chrysler Carlisle yesterday. Yesterday afternoon when I was trying to start the car to drive back to the hotel and last night when I wanted to move it at the hotel before going to bed. When I was at the show I tried cranking her over about 10 minutes later and luckily she fired up. I though oh great what a pain in the ***. Luckily the car is a 4 speed and I could have a couple of people push start me in the morning to get home. Someone was looking out for me because 600 am this morning went out to the car and bam started right up. I dont know if it is a short in my ignition switch, my starter, or my starter relay. I'm a little perplexed because this morning I go out to the car and being cold bam starts up like nothing wrong. When I got home after 5 hrs of driving it it also starts right up no problems early this afternoon. This has occured a total of 4 or 5 times in the last 2 months. What diagnostic steps should I take to hone in on the problems? Also I know for a fact that the alternator is charging fine and my battery has plenty of juice. Any help greatly appreciated.

Carl
 
Does your car have a safety switch on the clutch? What year car is it?
 
I would also check the plastic connector at the bottom of steering column. I have had this problem on my duster the connections just dont connect well from time age and heat .
 
Have someone turn the ignition switch, tap starter with hammer. If it takes to cranking (and doesn't drive over you), it's bad spot in the starter.
 
What year is the car?

You have a clutch safety switch?

It is unclear to me if you tried jumpering the starter relay

So 4 major "areas"

1: Is the starter relay getting power from the key, and if there's a clutch safety switch, is it grounding the other end of the relay?

(How many "push on" terminals on your starter relay?

2: Is the starter relay good or bad?

3: Is the wiring to the starter OK? A bad main battery cable connection AT THE STARTER will prevent the starter from pulling in, as will a bad connection in the solenoid wire/ terminals

4: Is the starter bad?

So let's divide the problem into those 4 groups. You can start "somewhere in the middle" and divide the problem sortof "in half"

SO next time this happens, get ANYTHING metal, a screwdriver, quarter, keychain, and short across the only two exposed terminals on the start relay. If it cranks, you have eliminated the

starter

and the relay to starter solenoid wiring

and the main battery cable to the starter

IF it cranks, above, determine if it's the start relay. If you only have ONE "push on" connector on the start relay, unhook the wire, and use your "metal piece" to jumper from the big battery stud to the exposed "push on" terminal. If it cranks, the relay is probably good.

Then hook the 'push on' wire back up, and probe that connection with a meter/ test light while twisting the key to start

IF no light/ voltage, its either a bad bulkhead connection, a break in the wire (unlikely) a bad connection at the ignition switch connector, or a bad ignition switch
 
Cleaned the battery posts and terminals ?
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll try to provide some additional info. I just went back down stairs about an hour ago and tried to start her up. Nothing dead as a doornail. That is really strange because when I came home about 1200 today and parked in the garage I shut her off and started her up twice with no problem. My car is a 67 cuda 4 speed. I dont believe it has a neutral saefty switch because it's a 4 speed. Also I have by mistake tried to crank her over when in gear and it does lurch forward and stall so I dont think there is a clutch safety switch either. Should I buy a voltage tester and see if there is current going from the starter relay to the starter?
 
Forgot to add. One time before I cleaned the terminals off on the battery and tried it again and it started. But I dont think that is the problem because it is happening more frequently and the terminals are clean no corrosion. It could of been just coincidence. I'm by myself right now so if I use a screwdriver and jump the starter realy with the ignition turned on the car should crank the starter correct? That means starter relay probably bad. If I test the lead coming out of the relay to the starter and it is getting juice than probably the starter correct? I'll take a pic of the starter relay later. Thanks everyone.
 
Your statments remind me of a similar case. My sister once had a disease called Giliam Beret' ( spelt ). It left her weak as puppy pee. Intermittently she couldn't start her car. Problem was in her ability to turn the ignition switch. It was a older Chevy and I did adjust its ignition switch a little which helped.
Other similar cases are related to the neutral safety switch / shifter adustment .
One of the downfalls of the rally dash is no reference for switch on. Unless you watch for the fuel gauge to move or the radio is on you really dont know if the car is on or not.
Doubt any of this helps.
 
so if I use a screwdriver and jump the starter realy with the ignition turned on the car should crank the starter correct? That means starter relay probably bad..

No, read my post more carefully.

One scenario is if the main big terminal or cable from the battery to the big starter stud is bad, the starter solenoid won't even pull in

IF you follow my post step by step, it should lead you to the problem.

The big "problem" (pun intended) with these "problems" is that an intermittent problem can hide the true nature of things
 
Should I buy a voltage tester and see if there is current going from the starter relay to the starter?
Yes, you need a multimeter, but no don't buy one. Get one free from Harbor Freight with coupon. If somewhere without one, use the dome lamp as a poorboy's voltmeter. That will tell if battery and its terminals are OK.

Otherwise, search the many, many posts about "no start" on FABO.

Could be the key switch or bulkhead connector isn't getting 12 V to the yellow wire on the starter relay. Could be the neutral safety switch isn't getting grounded (bad switch, auto tranny isn't in P or N, or manual tranny doesn't have clutch pedal in, or switch or linkage needs adjusting). You can ground the NSS terminal for testing, but don't stand in front of the car, and insure the E-brake is on. You can also apply 12 V to the starter relay stud yourself and see if the starter contactor "clunks". I use a Magnum "mini-starter" for new starters.
 
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