Gremlin


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By ejstith - 16 Years Ago
Well I've got a little gremlin here. Twice now I've been on my way home and stopped and shut the motor off and when I got back in it wouldn't start. The first time I just got out and wiggled the wires to the solenoid and battery and it fired right up. The last time (yesterday) I banged on things and nothing worked. The voltmeter shows 12 volts. A guy came along and we hooked up some jumpers and it fired right off. It may go a week or more and not do it again. I'm going to do a hydrometer on the battery, I actually don't think it's got the right solenoid on it because it only has one small post. I'll check the connection to the starter and through all of that maybe I'll find the little booger .. What do ya think?
By paul2748 - 16 Years Ago
Pull off the battery cables and clean them. Do the same with every ignition wire you have. Sounds like you may have contacts that work intermittenly because of dirt or corrosion. Check the wire in the distributor to see if its grounding out.
By oldcarmark - 16 Years Ago
If I understand correctly the solenoid on the fender has only one small terminal?How does the ignition start the car without the bypass wire getting voltage to the coil?Thats what the second terminal is for.Maybe the one you have is for a 6 volt system where there is no ballast resistor used.The advice about cleaning all connections is good but it may simply be the the battery is on the way out.A load test at the local auto parts place would tell if the battery is still good.
By simplyconnected - 16 Years Ago
paul2748 (4/19/2009)
Pull off the battery cables and clean them...

I agree.  The jumper cables proved, power isn't getting past your battery post.  If it still doesn't start, look for a fresh battery.

By ejstith - 16 Years Ago
paul2748 (4/19/2009)
Pull off the battery cables and clean them. Do the same with every ignition wire you have. Sounds like you may have contacts that work intermittenly because of dirt or corrosion. Check the wire in the distributor to see if its grounding out.





Already did all the cleaning except for the starter wire on the starter. Cleaned everything and applied dielectric grease to all connections. I forgot to mention when it doesn't start I can hear the solenoid clicking. I tried to jump around the solenoid but didn't have a wire with me that would reach.
By ejstith - 16 Years Ago
oldcarmark (4/19/2009)
If I understand correctly the solenoid on the fender has only one small terminal?How does the ignition start the car without the bypass wire getting voltage to the coil?Thats what the second terminal is for.Maybe the one you have is for a 6 volt system where there is no ballast resistor used.The advice about cleaning all connections is good but it may simply be the the battery is on the way out.A load test at the local auto parts place would tell if the battery is still good.




I don't know Mark, but that's what it's got. There is a wire hanging there that looks like it goes on one with 2 posts. I assume the coil wire is hooked up because it runs. I think you're probably right about the battery though but if that were the case you'd think it would just get worse and worse. I don't have a resistor on mine.
By oldcarmark - 16 Years Ago
OK I think I know whats happened here.The wire that is hanging goes on a small terminal on the solenoid which would have 2 terminals if it was the correct solenoid.That wire supplies 12 volts to the coil for starting bypassing the resisistor that someone has removed from yours.I don't know if you are using points in your distributor or if its been changed to electronic ignition in which case the resistor is removed for some systems and the coil runs on 12 volts instead of approx 9 when the resistor is used.I am going to guess that yours is electronic in which case you don't need the 2 prong solenoid.A fully charged battery in good shape should show 12.7-13.5 volts on the voltmeter.A dying battery will work for a while sometimes before it quits altogether.The solenoid clicking indicates not enough voltage available to lock the solenoid in "start"position to get battery voltage to the starter.When you boost it the booster battery is supplying the volts not yours.My suggestion again is take the battery out and have it load tested.One thing I have learned over the years is check the obvious things first. 
By ejstith - 16 Years Ago
Well when I got the car it had points (with a resistor) and that same solenoid. I changed it to electronic after I put a '59 distributor in it and I have a Mallory coil that doesn't use a resistor. I think it's probably the battery, that's my guess. Only thing is that when it's cold it seems to start right up .. every time it hasn't started it's been warmed up. Anyway I can't have this ... seems like it should have the right solenoid though .. just because ..