Won't Start!! Why?

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DartGTDan

DartGTDan

'71 Dart GT Fan
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Went out to start the Dart today, and got the dreaded "click".

Put the jumper cables on and let it charge off a running donor car for about 30 minutes. "Click"

Removed battery from the Dart and attached jumper cables from running donor car to Dart's stock cables. "Click"

Put battery back in the Dart, connected stock cables, checked battery voltage 13.5V, turn key to "start" position got the "click" and battery voltage dropped slightly, but did not go to zero.

Had trouble end of summer with a dead "right now" battery. Replaced the battery, and was good for the occasional outing (once or twice a week). Has been sitting for the last week and a half. Thought I should run it today and that is when my trouble started.

What is going on?
 
If it only clicks one time could be starter or connection at starter?
 
Sounds to me like you have bad battery cables. Might want to give them a good lookin over, might also want to check your grounds while you're at it.
 
Possibly a bad ground? I try to clean all of the ground and power connections twice a year. Probably not necessary that often but it gives me an excuse to mess with my Dart! LOL Mike
 
I guess I should have mentioned, all cables are newish. All connections are clean, tight, and covered with dialectric (sp?) grease.
Yes, only 1 click. Starter failure?
 
Even if your cables are newish, they can still have corrosion down inside the cable underneath the covering. You might want to have them tested just to make sure. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened........
 
My Road Runner does this.I use the battery from my truck when I drive the Road Runner.The Road Runner cables and battery post must be very clean and tight.I don't know why but some of my Mopars over the years will do this.My Dart I can put the truck battery into it and put the cables on hand tight and it will start 9 out of 10 times.
Jim
 
bad ground on starter relay on fender. unbolt it clean underneath and bolt it back down and try it
 
It could also be a bad starter relay.You can jump it with a screw driver.If you can jump it with the screw driver but it will not turn over with the key chances are the relay is bad.This is pretty common with cheap relays. Jim
 
Starter relay or could be that starter is going. Had same problem a while back. Tap the starter lightly with a hammer... sometimes the magnets will jump and free it from hanging up. I did this and got a few more months out of mine.
 
It probably is a bad connection at or in the starter.
Dont go jabbing a screw driver at those posts.
Too many times an arc in the wrong place burns a hole in a trans cooler line and you have 2 problems or 3 if it catches fire.
Remove the negative battery cable.
Remove the starter if nessesary to properly clean and test .
 
If his tranny cooler lines are running up next to his starter relay, he shouldn't be let near a car, or anything, with tools in his hand:cheers:

kinda like the P.O. of my Duster mounting the electric pump under the hood.....

which reminds me. I saw a pic of another car on here where someone had done the same thing.

bad idea...

BAD idea
 
Tried jumping the starter relay with a screwdriver. Same "click" at the starter. Which tells me ignition switch & trans NSS is OK (?).

Smacked the starter motor with a rubber mallet. Same "click" at the starter.

Starter motor connections appear to be tight as I cannot move/wiggle them (2 separate lugs, not the molded connection pair, when I made new battery/starter cables).

It is an original style (big) starter. I do have another newer style starter from a 90s RAM/Van/Dakota but will have to wait to swap (30* outside and I'm allergic to the cold weather).

Any other suggestions/ideas?
 
Just went through this with my Valiant. Last thing I changed was my battery cables and everything is fine now. Yeah, they looked good but obviously they weren't.
 
Use the jumper cables just like the battery cables from battery to relay and relay to battery to rule out cables.
 
Transmission is an automatic (A904). The car is up on jack stands for the winter. I was hoping I could keep it in running condition throughout the winter. Who knows maybe we'll get another 50* day soon.
 
tap the rear end of the start with a hammer a couple times. then try to crank it. see what happens. there's a small little washer at the end of the armature where its supported by the *** end of the start case, they like to get dirty. give it a tap. see if it starts.

check the voltage at the main power to the starter, then check the voltage from the main power to the cable that runs inside the solendoid.

i think it needs a starter though...hit it with a hammer. im not kidding. use a steal hammer...u wont hurt the starter. if you want a cheap starter I'll mail you one.
 
You have probably already got the answers needed but I will still give them to you once more... Just by looking at your headlights can give you some answers.

Turn on the hedlights and ask your assistant, volunteer or not, to turn the ignition key or if alone, a starter switch directly to the solenoid at the starter engine and engage it while looking at the headlight. You can also park near a wall.

If the headlights does not work at all, check, clean and tighten the battery and starter/solenoid connections. Pay extra attention to the grounding cable from the battery to the engine to the body.

If the headlights die when activating the starter engine, again check, clean and tighten the connections to the battery and starter/solenoid. If the grounding cable between the starter/engine/body is not in good shape - strange things can happen such as the starter will not turn when disengaging the clutch - really!

If the headlights decreases or just glow. Again check all of the connections as written above. Also check your batterys condition, preferably with a load, or check with a new battery.

If the headlight does not change at all. Then check the ignition lock, starter relay and the starter engine. Use a test light to see if you have current to the starter solenoid (the thin wire). If still not lucky, have the starter engine tested by someone how can test it. Not just have it running on the bench. You yourself can test the starter engine if it has some kind of short circuit. Just google or get back..:read2:

If you need to tap the starter engine then the fault probably lies in that just as several has suggested here. Is the starter engine greasy or covered in oil you will also have starter failure at some point.

I hope this can light up your day. I might have forgotten something but I think I have covered it all. Oh did you check the cabl....?
 
Had a similar problem with my Dart. Found bad connection on connectors on firewall. I pushed on connector and she started. Took apart plugs and cleaned with contact cleaner. good luck.
 
Auto. Ok....is this a "click" or a rather metallic "thwack"
 
This is just a guess, but it could be that the bendix is hitting on a tooth on the ring gear directly and cannot "push it aside" to engage the ring. I'd maybe put a wrench on the crank bolt and give it a nudge, then try the starter again. If that doesn't work, I'm thinking it's time to pull and check the starter
 
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