My car runs fine. I just got a brand new optima red top battery. Everyday when i go to start it...it needs a jump to wont start...the battery isnt run down and still cranks the engine...it just wont start unless its jumped...whats going on!? :af:
i tried different batteries...they were even worse, thats why i got this new one...its really good when it wants to be the engine will turnover in about 1 second...othertimes this happens
I have to assume that with the booster battery and cables it cranks much faster than with just the one battery. The first thing I would do is to break out your digital volt ohm meter and do a voltage drop test on your cables. Electricity flows like water. If the cables are corroded internally, its like trying to flow water through clogged pipes.
this is what i think the problem is...it does have pretty old cables on there so maybe they just need replacing
You say its turning over but not starting? How does it turn? Like it should or slow. If it turns over in a normal manner try hot wiring it when you start it. Run a jumper wire from your battery to the + side pf your coil and see if it starts. You may be losing your ignition in the start position. Don't leave the wire on for to long. Just long enough to see if it will start. You can also have someone try to start it while you use a test light. Same side the + side. With the key on the light should come on which I'm sure it will or the car wouldn't run at all. You want to see if it stays on in the start position. Bob H.
update guys: tested the connections to the battery...all good. fully charged everything...go to start it this morning same thing...only this time i dont crank it till the battery dies. I came up with an idea...i sprayed a little starter fluid in the top of the carb and bam started right up... but then 6 hours later...go to start it up...no fluid...starts right up fine what does this mean is wrong?
A car needs a few things to start- Spark, fuel, compression and timing. If your missing one, its not going to start. If the car started when you sprayed ether down the carb, then you might have a fuel problem. Its going to be difficult to diagnose if the car is currently starting right up. Cant fix it if its not doing the problem. The next time it happens, take the air cleaner off and make sure you have fuel squirting down the carb. Also make sure the choke is functioning properly.
i dont know what this means and dont know exactly how to check the choke...it could be cause im currently having another problem with nmy car that someone said could be related to the choke
If it happens again, take a screwdriver and stick it down the carb. The screwdriver will hold the choke open. If it starts right up, we've narrowed it down to the choke.
There is also another possibility. The starter solenoid has a shorting switch. It's purpose is to bypass the resistance wire so that the coil receives full battery voltage while cranking. It is possible for the shorting switch to be bad, and the solenoid will still engage the starter. A hard cold start results, while the engine will start fine once warm. The way to check this is to put a voltmeter from the + terminal of the coil to ground. Turn the ignition on to the run position (do not crank the engine). The voltmeter should read 5-5.5 volts. Then disable the ignition by pulling the coil wire out of the cap. Have someone crank the engine and watch the voltmeter. The reading should jump to at least 9 volts while the engine is cranking. If it doesn't, replace the starter solenoid.
Hummm, sounds kinda like a fuel problem I had with my original 350. When it sat over night or more than a day or two, it would crank and crank before it would fire.....like it had to pull the fuel all the way from the tank. Maybe just try a splash of fuel down the carb the next time you try to start after it's been sitting for a day and see if it fires right away.
Jim I think that may be normal. I know mine will only start after a couple of tries and a few pumps of the gas pedal if sitting more than a day. As if the gas evaporates and needs to be pushed from the pump again. That's what I tell all the young-uns w/ their fancy-smancy fuel injection.:laugh: Am I way off base?
Nope, funny the few time my Mom had to borrow the Buick as her car was in the shop. Had to remind her hwo to start an old car. pump pump pump crank- nothing, pump pump crank-false start, pump pump crank - vroom Normal to have to get the fuel back up there after a day of sitting.
