Cuda won't start and have tried multiple avenues. Need help!

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1970340Cuda

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Dallas, Texas
Recently I've run in to troubles with my 1970, 340 Plymouth Cuda 4 speed. I go to start the car and the dome light and parking brake light will come on, but when I go to start the car, a single click happens and all the lights go out. When I try it again immediately after, no lights come on and the car is unresponsive.

If I give the car several hours or even a day, when I go to start the car, the lights will come on again, but it follows the same process as previously stated.

I have replaced the starter relay twice within this last month, and I've even gone as far as replacing the starter itself. I believed that the starter was failing, causing more amps to be pulled through the relay and exceeding the relay's amperage rating, causing it to fry the internals. After replacing the starter motor and still having the same problem makes me believe it is not the starter causing me problems.

When the lights go out, I test the voltage in the battery and read right around 12.6/12.7 every time. When i test the relay to see if it gives me the same voltage reading, it shows right around 0.125-0.200 volts.

At this point I have no idea what could be causing tis issue. I don't know if maybe the neutral safety switch is going bad, or if there is a wring issue between the two. I wasn't the one who restored the car, but I bought it from the previous owner who did the restoration. The car has lots of original/period correct parts on it.

What could possibly be causing me these issues? Am I overlooking an obvious issue?
 
Make sure your relay has a good ground also.
 
You should also have a ground cable that runs from the rear of the right head that goes to the body. These were put on prior to painting at the factory to secure a good ground but the previous owner may have installed it after painting, check this connection...it should be attached with a sheet metal bolt and a toothed washer.
IF you are using an aluminum intake and have the ground from the battery connected to an intake bolt check it closely, the bolt and intake are dis-similar materials and are prone to corrosion.
 
Last edited:
Red63440 said:
You should also have a ground cable that runs from the rear of the right head that goes to the body. These were put on prior to painting at the factory to secure a good ground but the previous owner may have installed it after painting, check this connection...it should be attached with a sheet metal bolt and a toothed washer.
IF you are using an aluminum intake and have the ground from the battery connected to an intake bolt check it closely, the bolt and intake are dis-similar materials and are prone to corrosion.
Click to expand...

I checked all the cables and went ahead and cleaned them all and the battery terminals while I was at it. The round on the body that you mentioned was covered in paint. There was only a very small sliver of metal shining through. I cleaned that up so there was a good metal to metal contact there. The car started up and has continued to start up since I fixed that.

Thank you very much and everyone else here for their help and wisdom! Looking back at it now seems so obvious, but it's great knowledge to have going forward.
 
Sometimes the most obvious problem is the one that is overlooked, very glad I was able to help.
 
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