Help! Intermit. starting problem!!

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64dart170

64dart170

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OK, I'll try to be breif.. 1967 Dart with a 1970 318.
What is happening; sometimes I turn key and it start to click and turn engine and then it stops, I turn back off and turn key back "ON" and gadges show power applied, turn further and nothing, leave power on and short starter relay with screwdriver and it starts right up.
Things replaced or have done;
Starter, Starter Relay (Twice), Ballast Resister, Pos & Neg Cables, Ignition switch and tumbler (I needed new keys!) Today I took relay off of fender and sanded paint off of mounting position and put electrolite gel for contacts and reinstalled thinking this would take car of bad ground.
It still happens, even after fully charging battery.
HELP!!!! Anyone???? I would shoot it but it the wifes daily driver!
 
Sounds like a ground issue to me. You might check the contacts for the
ignition switch and through the firewall. They always seem to corrode.

If it jumps fine on the firewall with the relay I'd trace it backwards to the
ignition switch from there.

Starter clicking like that seems like it is trying to pull more current than
it can get.

Good luck
 
idrift said:
Sounds like a ground issue to me. You might check the contacts for the
ignition switch and through the firewall. They always seem to corrode.

If it jumps fine on the firewall with the relay I'd trace it backwards to the
ignition switch from there.

Starter clicking like that seems like it is trying to pull more current than
it can get.

Good luck
Click to expand...
Hey thanks man good idea. I'll go out tonight after I put my rebult carb on the 64. I'm still working on you dash repaint photos. I got the day shots but camera batt dead. Once its charges I'll get the night shots of the dash and post. They had like 6 different colors of LEDs to choose from.
Later when your hair gets straighter!..................
 
Had the same problem with my 66 Dart a couple months ago.At the block on your firewall under hood,there,s a blue wire with yellow tracer,get someone to hold key on in start position and wiggle that wire.That,s how I found my problem with intermitten starting problem.I cleaned the box out of corrosion and crap,fixed it!Also bypassed ammeter.Hope this helps!
 
pettybludart said:
Had the same problem with my 66 Dart a couple months ago.At the block on your firewall under hood,there,s a blue wire with yellow tracer,get someone to hold key on in start position and wiggle that wire.That,s how I found my problem with intermitten starting problem.I cleaned the box out of corrosion and crap,fixed it!Also bypassed ammeter.Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
I think I'll wait till day light. At my age things start to all look like a big blurr at night even with reading glasses! My 64 is in my 1 bay garage right now for a carb swap so I'll have to do it tonight first!
Thanks for the idea. That's what this site is all about!
 
I did the wiggle test. It worked but not at block. It's something around the voltage regulator. Thanks again for the ideas! Work in progress....
 
Help! Again,
I have cleaned out the wiring blocks but had no blue wire with tracer. When I cleaned I found two wires that I had to redo. (does anyone know where to get those little brass male pins in the blocks?
Stole an extra one from another block. The I checked wiring to the voltage regulator and remounted the regulator it was loose and only had 1 screw.
Checked thew wiring at the starter and ignition switch, OK.
Cleaned battery posts. The following has been replaced, starter, starter relay (twice), ballast resistor, battery cables.
It is still intermintent when it happens I can turn on key and jump at relay with screwdriver. It also started once when I wiggled stuff around the regulator, after I did all the work. Anyting else? Should I have the battery checked or replace the regulator?
Any ideas would be great! Thanks All.
1967 Dart with 1970 318 Auto.
 
I had a similar problem, had my battery tested and it appears it was poorly cleaned battery terminals.. It wasn't all corroded, just had a blackish grey color on it... I had been using the spray on battery cleaner .
After cleaning, all shiny silver.

A possibility ??
 
64dart170 said:
Help! Again,
I have cleaned out the wiring blocks but had no blue wire with tracer. When I cleaned I found two wires that I had to redo. (does anyone know where to get those little brass male pins in the blocks?
Stole an extra one from another block. The I checked wiring to the voltage regulator and remounted the regulator it was loose and only had 1 screw.
Checked thew wiring at the starter and ignition switch, OK.
Cleaned battery posts. The following has been replaced, starter, starter relay (twice), ballast resistor, battery cables.
It is still intermintent when it happens I can turn on key and jump at relay with screwdriver. It also started once when I wiggled stuff around the regulator, after I did all the work. Anyting else? Should I have the battery checked or replace the regulator?
Any ideas would be great! Thanks All.
1967 Dart with 1970 318 Auto.
Click to expand...
I was thinking faulty ign. switch, untill you said it started once while wiggleing wires around regulator. Sounds like bad wires/loose/corroded,connectors.or lemon reg.or bad ground. It`s easy to have a battery load tested. good luck
 
I have taken regulator off to find out which one I have for rplacement. No number, parts store wanted to know how many ceramic on back? I took cover off and is solid state. Resistors and 1 transistor. I then sanded the mounting points to remove paint for ground, also sanded and cleaned all mounting points and connectors and battery post again. Put all back together and I had to jump at relay 1st time then it would work ok for a few more trys.???
Question: How do you tell which voltage regulator to buy? I have a 1967 Dart with a 1970 318, Alternator has been converted to 2 field wires and has a part number Duralast DL 7509DP Twin Pulley, UPC # 05294860718.
I guess the regulators come low & high ohms????
Will go down and try bat test first just grabbin lunch here and thought I would ask and try to buy one while testing Batt.
Thanks again Guys, your all great!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Battery is good. Anyone know anything on this solid state voltage regulator??
Anyone??????????? It is nothing like the usual tall black box.
 
I bought one last week. Is it a three prong? If so tell em you want one for a 70-74 model duster. Take the old one with you. Had the same trouble with my 72 also.
Small Block
 
Maybe I'm ignorant, so bear with me, but just because you can start it at the relay w/ a screwdriver doesn't mean the relay's working properly.
(I could be wrong- I'm not Mr. Electric or anything)

(and sometimes wiggling a wire and getting a response is just a coincidence)
 
Wiggle wire at regulator says it all.
damn how I used to hate those things, always crapping out.
One idea Mopar got wrong.
 
So...........
After many deft contorsionist moves (that aren't easy at my age) I have again hopefully fixed but yet another found botched job from previous owner. Re wired the neutral starting switch.
So far it seams to be working! Back to basics. When you get older I guess you try all the things that are at least knee high and above!
:cheers:


What breaks every time a B-52 flys??????

Wiring...............
 
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