Starting and running problem

-

moparmike98

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2014
Messages
112
Reaction score
60
Location
nekoosa wisconsin
Last Friday I went to start it up and it struggled a little more than usual but I didn't think anything of it because it's getting colder. But halfway down the driveway it shut down and all my lights when out like the battery was dead. It wouldn't even try to turn over like the key wasn't even being turned. I got out and there was a slight burning/smoking smell. Then that night it started right up like nothing happened, I didn't drive it or run it long I was only checking if it would start. Monday came around and I started it up and the same thing as Friday happened again but this time when I pushed it to the garage it started and I drove in. Now it won't even start it gave a small little blurp of cranking (this time I had the hood up) then I saw smoke coming from down by the starter or that area jumped out and disconnected the battery. I can't figure out what it was, I can't see burnt wires. Also when disconnecting the battery the positive and ground wires were hot. Please help
 
bulk head connector ....wiggle the center one that has the power wire going into car...see if things worked...I chased this problem on my 73 Duster for a couple of weeks...everything dead...then fire up and run...then everything dead...
 
Or the main fuseable link Look and make sure the throttle cable is not rubbing wires also.
 
Battery cables can do the same, especially the cheap add on battery terminals. That wouldn't explain the puff of smoke, unless it came from where the ground cable attaches to block ( wherever that is ) or possibly the starter hot cable melted to a header or otherwise intermittently shorted along with a pos battery terminal.
 
Now it won't even start it gave a small little blurp of cranking (this time I had the hood up) then I saw smoke coming from down by the starter or that area jumped out and disconnected the battery. I can't figure out what it was, I can't see burnt wires. Also when disconnecting the battery the positive and ground wires were hot. Please help
Blurp? Yikes! You should never get a blurp. A dink or doink is okay. Not blurp.

Think about what is happening here. Both battery cables were hot. Hot means excessive current flow. What is the highest load between the battery positive and battery negative cables? Answer: starter motor. I would start (heh) there. If the starter or the engine is mechanically not turning freely the current through the starter and battery cables goes up as the starter motor slows down. If the starter is not turning at all when the solenoid is pulled in during crank mode the starter windings are essentially a dead short. Hence, smoke and heat.
 
I located the problem. One of the wires going to the solenoid was loose and frayed and grounding on the tie rod. Makes sense that would cause the smoke and not working. But it seems the solenoid/starter was shaken loose and it drooped so when turning backing out of the driveway today the tie rod caught it and snapped my solenoid off. Great
 
That is an easy fix. Could have been a whole lot worse.
C
 
-
Back
Top