This only happens sometimes, but it seems like the 70 GS (455) sometimes won't start until I STOP cranking. It'll just crank and crank, but as soon as I let off the key it fires. But most of the time, it fires right up as soon as I hit the key. Is this a simple starter replacement? Or something else goofy with this car.
You might want to make sure the safety neutral switch is good. When you turn the key, the rod slides the switch down...maybe it's not going down all the way - or maybe the switch is just plain bad. Just a thought.o No:
This is a floor shift car. So I don't think thats the problem. Besides... the neutral safety switch isn't hooked up (yet) (I have a "very long" and "ever growing" list of things that this car needs)
welp.. Somehow you lost the voltage signal from the coil to the S terminal at the starter. Follow that one wire, and you'll find your culprit. It could also be, but not necessarily, the ignition switch. J
If it still has points ignition, check what Jim said, but check your cranking voltage too. A weak battery, or bad battery terminal connections can also cause the same symptom.
make sure that the small terminal on your starter sonenoid that is farthest from the engine block has a wire running from it, straight to the coil. that terminal is supposed to give the coil a full 12 volts while crankin. ... than once the motor starts, the coil gets its juice through the ballast-resistor. keep us posted.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I'll be tinkering tomorrow and I'll let you know what I find out. :TU: and for the record.... It doesn't have a points ignition. It has a Mallory Unalite(sp?) electronic deal. It also has a Mallory tach with rev limiter built in. So there's alot of wires that aren't "correct" and it'll take some probing to figure out just what is what.
but here is the point to think about .... if the car originally had points, the ignition switch might not be giving adequate voltage (if any) to th ignition system.:Smarty:
I don't know if the unilite requires any changes to the coil wiring or not. If I were to guess I would say it doesn't. Put a volt-mater across your coil and check your cranking and running voltage. Crank should be 12v and running around 9.6V. If crank voltage is low, check the battery voltage when cranking. Then you should know if it is in the ballast bypass wire(wire to starter) or weak battery voltage.
OK, sorry it took so long for me to get around to checking into this... Anyways, here's what I've found tonight.... If I put my voltmeter actually across the coil : Turn the key on - 4 volts Crank - 2 volts Let off the key - spikes to about 4.5 volts for a half second If I put the voltmeter from the + terminal on coil to ground: Turn the key on - 5 volts Crank - 5.5 volts Let off the key - spikes to about 6 volts for a half second If I put the voltmeter from the + wire going to the ballast resistor and ground the negative lead: Turn the key on - 8.5 volts Crank - 7.5 volts Let off the key - spikes to about 9 volts for a half second If I put the voltmeter directly across the battery: Not cranking- 13.5 volts Cranking - 11.5 volts Running - 13.5-14 volts What a mess huh. What do you think the problem is? What else can I check? Again... I would probably get different readings if I went out right now and checked them all again. Sometimes it starts fine, other times it won't start till I let off the key, and other times it just doesn't want to start at all. This car is really starting to make me :af:
Sounds to me like battery cable(or connection) troubles. First thing clean your battery posts and terminals. Yes, this sometimes happens! Try turning on the headlights and see how dim they get while cranking, or hook the voltmeter up to anything but the battery or the coil to see what voltage you get. If you maintain good voltage at the battery but crummy everywhere else you have trouble with battery cables or the feed wire to the ignition (the #10 wire coming off of the starter's battery stud). I just fixed the same thing on my hot rod (3/0 battery cable from the trunk to the starter!)
Ding ding ding... We have a winner! :TU: Sorry it took me so long to get back to this guys. I got sidetracked with the 71's carb problems. I finally gave up on it and got back to this one. That wire that you mentioned was boke under 15 layers of electrical tape. But somehow the juice was backfeeding to the coil by another route. Must not have been getting enough juice to start consistantly. I "fixed" the wire (temporarily) and it pops right off now!! I definately need to get a new wiring harness. This one is very hacked up. Another member sent me a used one from a 68 for the cost of shipping thinking I might be able to use it (or parts of it), but I think I'm going to just buy one of those repro's one of these days. But for now it's working! Thanks everyone for your help! :beer
