HELP!!! 68 Buick Skylark Sudden electrical failure yet car starts

Discussion in 'Sparky's corner' started by pdmracing, Oct 2, 2015.

Page 2 of 2
  1. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Excellent!!! I knew you could do it! Sometimes all it takes to solve a problem is to step back, get a good nights sleep and re-examine it with a fresh head.
     
    CJay, Oct 4, 2015
    #21
  2. Brian Albrecht

    Brian Albrecht Classic Reflections


    Sounds like another cut and paste for the Auto Zone thread. Glad you got her going again.
     
    Brian Albrecht, Oct 4, 2015
    #22
  3. SteeveeDee

    SteeveeDee Orange Acres

    Good to see it runs. You do need to replace that ground strap. Anywhere on the engine to the firewall is OK. I used a threaded hole in the back of the head when I reconnected mine.
     
    SteeveeDee, Oct 4, 2015
    #23
  4. pdmracing

    pdmracing Member

    Came in today, Lites worked, but no start. I pushed on the lift to poke around check this out these are to the main post on solenoid. Question are they both Fusible links or is the big red one from the alternator direct? what about the one that had 2 wires

    IMG_1641.JPG IMG_1640.JPG IMG_1646.JPG IMG_1645.JPG
     
    pdmracing, Oct 5, 2015
    #24
  5. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    On the main post of the starter you have- the battery cable and two fusible links- one for the headlights, one for everything else. The S terminal is the purple wire from your switch and the R is the bypass for the points.

    Both fusible links don't look too good. If it was me, I'd replace them both

    When you say no start, you mean that you turn the key and you don't get anything? Not even a click? Did you try giving the starter a couple wraps with a hammer while someone turns the key? Stuck armature perhaps?
     
    CJay, Oct 5, 2015
    #25
  6. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    That is pretty bad. You need to redo all of that. You can get fusible links at a good parts store. There are 2 feed wires attached to the main post along with the + battery cable. One wire is 10 ga., the other is 12 ga. Fusible links are a 4 sizes smaller than the feed wire, so you need one 14 ga. fusible link and one 16 ga. fusible link.

    http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d....oap?ck=Search_N0220_-1_-1&pt=N0220&ppt=C0172

    http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d....oap?ck=Search_N0220_-1_-1&pt=N0220&ppt=C0172
     
    LARRY70GS, Oct 5, 2015
    #26
  7. pdmracing

    pdmracing Member

    UPDATE

    Replaced both fuse links to main solenoid post along with a new battery cable.
    UPDATE    UPDATE

    Replaced both fuse links to main solenoid post along with a new battery cable.


    Was hesitant to use the same battery so I had it tested at one of the parts stores they said it was OK.


    I bought a new interstate anyways. Hooked her up, fired right up, lights work


    when Idle kicked down , Gen light flashes once when I put into gear.




    pickup your volt meter and perform these steps. these are done ENGINE RUNNING.. headlights turned ON..


    here are results tests so far


    #1 negative to positive battery POSTS.. 14.6


    #2. Negative battery post to the engine block.. 0.025 volts.
    #2A negative battery post to the alternator case. 0.03 volts.


    #3 Negative battery post to the body.. 0.02 volts
    #3A Negative battery post to the mounting base on the voltage regulator. 0.01 volts


    #4... engine block to the firewall.. 0.023 volts DC


    #4a engine block to the voltage regulator mount.. 0.021. volts




    Replaced both fuse links to main solenoid post along with a new battery cable.


    Was hesitant to use the same battery so I had it tested at one of the parts stores they said it was OK.


    I bought a new interstate anyways. Hooked her up, fired right up, lights work


    when Idle kicked down , Gen light flashes once when I put into gear.




    pickup your volt meter and perform these steps. these are done ENGINE RUNNING.. headlights turned ON..


    here are results tests so far


    #1 negative to positive battery POSTS.. 14.6


    #2. Negative battery post to the engine block.. 0.025 volts.
    #2A negative battery post to the alternator case. 0.03 volts.


    #3 Negative battery post to the body.. 0.02 volts
    #3A Negative battery post to the mounting base on the voltage regulator. 0.01 volts


    #4... engine block to the firewall.. 0.023 volts DC


    #4a engine block to the voltage regulator mount.. 0.021. volts


    Was hesitant to use the same battery so I had it tested at one of the parts stores they said it was OK.
    UPDATE


    Replaced both fuse links to main solenoid post along with a new battery cable.


    Was hesitant to use the same battery so I had it tested at one of the parts stores they said it was OK.


    I bought a new interstate anyways. Hooked her up, fired right up, lights work


    when Idle kicked down , Gen light flashes once when I put into gear.




    pickup your volt meter and perform these steps. these are done ENGINE RUNNING.. headlights turned ON..


    here are results tests so far


    #1 negative to positive battery POSTS.. 14.6


    #2. Negative battery post to the engine block.. 0.025 volts.
    #2A negative battery post to the alternator case. 0.03 volts.


    #3 Negative battery post to the body.. 0.02 volts
    #3A Negative battery post to the mounting base on the voltage regulator. 0.01 volts


    #4... engine block to the firewall.. 0.023 volts DC


    #4a engine block to the voltage regulator mount.. 0.021. volts


    I bought a new interstate anyways. Hooked her up, fired right up, lights work

    when Idle kicked down , Gen light flashes once when I put into gear.


    pickup your volt meter and perform these steps. these are done ENGINE RUNNING.. headlights turned ON..

    here are results tests so far

    #1 negative to positive battery POSTS.. 14.6

    #2. Negative battery post to the engine block.. 0.025 volts.
    #2A negative battery post to the alternator case. 0.03 volts.

    #3 Negative battery post to the body.. 0.02 volts
    #3A Negative battery post to the mounting base on the voltage regulator. 0.01 volts

    #4... engine block to the firewall.. 0.023 volts DC

    #4a engine block to the voltage regulator mount.. 0.021. volts

    more to come.
     
    pdmracing, Oct 7, 2015
    #27
  8. SteeveeDee

    SteeveeDee Orange Acres

    Those voltage drops correspond to a small resistance, which is to be expected. But it would be better to check those connections with the ohmmeter instead, just to be sure. 14.6 volts at the battery strikes me as a little high, but that just may be that the starting pulled some of the juice from the battery. There should be NO flashing generator light. Make sure to verify that the plug into the regulator is gutentite.
     
    SteeveeDee, Oct 7, 2015
    #28
  9. pdmracing

    pdmracing Member

    The saga continues, I swapped out alternator with a known good one, found the neutral safety switch was loose so the no start problems are gone, The gen lite & a strange groan happens at aprox 1250 rpm up or down and the gen light flashes at that time. If I hold it there it the gen lite will stay on dimly and the groan continues.
    we pinpointed the groan to the voltage regulator humming. I drove it over to a friends Bosch shop that specializes in elec problems. he call this morning and they found that at that RPM the Voltage is 18V for that specific RPM causing the humm from regulator, they are tracing resistance now . He suspect the ignition switch but I cant find one anywhere.:af:
     
    pdmracing, Oct 16, 2015
    #29
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