Last try to solve this issue! ( So far 0 for 1000) - Page 2 - Lateral-g Forums

killerdiller · #11 08-11-2009, 04:14 PM

engine block grounded correctly??

TreySmith · #12 08-11-2009, 05:53 PM

Maybe your timing is horribly off, my car won't start some times after it has been running a while. I fixed the timing and it starts up just fine. Just a guess.

**tones2SS** · #13 08-11-2009, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camcojb

sounds like a grounding issue or loose connection to me. Have you ever tested the battery voltage at the battery when this condition occurs? I'm going to guess that the battery voltage is probably not real low, but a poor/missing ground or loose positive or negative connection is what's happening.

I would also rig up a manual bypass for the neutral safety switch just in case to test when it happens again; if the switch is faulty or misadjusted it will not turn over at all. Do the lights work when this happens or is everything dead?

Jody

I agree with Jody here. If you say the battery is brand new and the alternator/starter is in good condition, it sounds like a grounding issue or loose positive/negative connection.
GOOD LUCK!!

wedged · #14 08-12-2009, 03:44 PM

Ok, odds are slim, but it could still be the battery. I'm going to vote for a bad connection somewhere- possibly a ground, but maybe not. I would test the battery with a load tester- do a few times allowing the battery and tester to cool between tests. I've run into problems like this on customer cars and they'll tell you everything under the hood has been checked and/or is new. Then when the problem is located you get "....but I just replaced that and it's good, I checked it." Re-check EVERYTHING you've already checked and recheck it all during one session so you don't skip or miss anything.

You need to carry with you a test light, a volt/ohm meter and a jumper pack until you find the problem.

**tones2SS** · #15 08-14-2009, 02:58 PM

Did you get the problem resolved? If so, what was the problem?

BC69 · #16 08-15-2009, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Did you get the problem resolved? If so, what was the problem?

I am meeting up with a mechanic friend tomorrow morning to go through all of your advice to see if we can find a problem. Getting the car to duplicate the issue is tough though, you never can tell when it will or won't start haha! Generally the farthest point from home is a good spot.

I will update everyone tomorrow night. Thanks for the suggestions and I hope we find the issue!

**tones2SS** · #17 08-16-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC69

I am meeting up with a mechanic friend tomorrow morning to go through all of your advice to see if we can find a problem. Getting the car to duplicate the issue is tough though, you never can tell when it will or won't start haha! Generally the farthest point from home is a good spot.

I will update everyone tomorrow night. Thanks for the suggestions and I hope we find the issue!

Good luck!!

HRBS · #18 08-16-2009, 11:57 AM

I had a similar problem with a street rod. It was so sporadic it drove us nuts. LONG story short the starter wasnt engaging properly with the flex plate. The starter wasnt shimed properly and the selenoid would throw the shaft and get lodged in the teeth making NO noise or sign of trying to crank. Sometimes it would engage and sometimes it wouldnt.
Try cranking yours when COLD. Do it several times over and over and see if it happens when the engine is cold. If it does you can rule out the hot/cold idea. I know this doesnt explain the low voltage issue, but thought I'd make a different suggestion.
Another idea is like Trey suggested. Timing could be off that when it is hot it wont crank.
Either way... I feel for you. Electrical gremlins are a PITA to diagnose.

Good luck..... be sure to let us know what is was when you find out.

rustbucket69 · #19 08-16-2009, 12:04 PM

I had a very similar issue on a truck I had in college. It turned out to be a relay in the Code Alarm that was installed for the ignition switch. Fortunately, the truck had a manual transmission, so I could still push start it (and became very good at doing it until I discovered the relay). Similar to how you describe your issue, everything electrical worked except for the starter.

Maybe?

BC69 · #20 08-16-2009, 05:56 PM

Thanks for all the help guys.

So here is what we did this morning.

I took the car out to get it hot (never had issues with a cold start). It was in the 90's here today, so I had it up to 205 after about 45 minutes. Came back, turned it off, let it sit for a minute. And........ It Started Right Up!

We kept trying, but it wouldn't reproduce. Regardless, we cleaned up the main ground connections, and remounted the starter, reconnected all the cables, cleaned up the battery mounts as well. Making sure everything was flush, and tight. We checked the fuse box, no problems there. Followed the electrical lines to see if any problems there.

We must have started the car 50 times during this whole time. Never had an issue at all. So, honestly, I don't know if what we did solved it or not, and won't know until it does it again, or doesn't haha!

The car has a console shifter, but the column itself is for a column shifted car. We played around with this, and the shifter to see if maybe it was a neutral safety switch problem. But nothing, started fine no matter what we did with the column or console shifter.

So, I appreciate all the help, we went through alot of your suggestions, and still have a checklist to run through if it actually does this again.

Thanks,
Tim