intermittebt start '76 vette...

I am hoping someone will have the pateince to help a relative amareur along here.

I have the dreaded 'intermittent start' issue on my 1976 corvette (automatic).

I replaced the starter solenoid just to be sure and it started numerous times just sitting in the garage, then when I actually went to take it out, I thought to run the transmission shifter through the gears and then into park before I took it out to check .... and - no start. I have moved things around since, but still nada. The lights come on, etc, but the starter relay is not pulling in at all. BAttery is good.

I am suspecting the neutral switch, but it could be the ignition switch too as they are both the originals (or a wire too, but let's start with the obvious first...).

From what I have read so far, the neutral switch is under the center console and it is adjustable. It seems to me if I can get at the thing I should be able to check for voltage running from the ignition to that switch and out of it to the starter relay.

Can I easily get at that switch by removing the four screws and lifting that center console cover, and do I correctly understand the setup?

TIA.

Reply to
BSAKing
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Ok - here's t he scoop. I managed to get at the neutral switch assembly assembly and skiinned the purple wires and joined - no go. However, I tested with my DVM and on the input I get 11.66V and the output side of the switch I get 11.55 or so, so there is some current draw. When I slip it into park, the output drops to zero V so to me that switch is ok and my issue is between that wiring harness and the starter solenoid, OR I have a lousy ground that is causing it not to draw enough current?

I guess if I shinny underneath and measure that voltage at the solenoid - it must be a ground wire?

I think there is one ground strap from the frame to the starter, one from the battery to frame?

Sound reasonable?

TIA.

Reply to
BSAKing

Wouldn't hurt to clean up the one on the battery/frame first and check out the cable just before the ends to make sure they haven't deteriorated to all oxides.

Reply to
Dad

my next step is to get some jumper cables and go from the B- to the starter ground directly and the from the B+ battery to the starter solenoid. This should tell me if it is cable/connection and which one. I have heard those fusible links can be an issue. (2 of them on the solenoid run)....

Reply to
BSAKing

Here's some free advice. If it's not cranking at all, use a test lamp to see if the battery voltage is getting to the small wire on the starter. You can disconnect it and just jump it with a wire to the large stud and it should crank. If the problem is a bad connection at the battery the headlights will not come on, or will go off when you try to crank it. Easy test. CAUTION, if it's a stick shift car, be sure it's in neutral before you jump the starter! Set the parking brake tight.

Al

Reply to
Big Al

got problems - still can't get vette going

won't turn over : replaced starter/solenoid with new one.

I have tried bypassing all cables - jumpered from battery to starter connections, then put +B on the Solenoid from the alternator. I hear a bit of whirring, but that is it The starter is not engaging. When I crank it via the key, the battery drain goes off the map (like more than -40 amps ) as it should....

tried everything I can think of. Gonna pull it back off I guess and try it out of car - don't know what else I can do

should just hook battery to ground, power on solenoid and then feed

+12 to the S to pull in the solenoid and energize the starter

Sheesh any ideas on this?

Reply to
BSAKing

Yanked it out - brand new styarter and solenoid assembly.

Used battery cables onto my ford escape which is running just fine.

Then bridged to the S contact with a screwdriver - it spins, but the gear does not spin out and it has to in order to engage the flywheel AFAIK?

Reply to
BSAKing

Sheesh!

Done!

What caused me to check other things and chase some red herrings (which is good to have checked anyhow - like neutral switch and fusible links) was the intermittent factor.

I thought (erroneously it seems) that a starter would either go or not go. The old one was intermeittent and I guess dies after I put the new solenoid on it.

Then I went trhough one bad new from the box AC-Delco (- the guy was surprised at that), that caused me to do some more head scratching, but the second one kicked in as advertised and ole betsy fired right up.

Geeze - these things are a lot more fun when you don't have to push them everywhere! LOL.

Thanks for the assist guys.....

Reply to
BSAKing

It was the spring...

Reply to
Speaker of the Truth

Reply to
Eugene

Yup - the law of troubleshooting...

Once you have eliminated everything else, whatever is left must be the answer - no matter how unlikely it may seem. (like new parts being DOA)......

Reply to
BSAKing

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