Ok,please feel free to tell me if I'm stupid here-but also if you can help. Went out to start up the car today-haven't run it in 2 weeks. Cranked over fine but long,so I turned the switch off to let it rest a second. When I went to start it again-zilch. Lights work,all the gauges function,ammeter dips into negative with the key turn but no starter noises. Might have been a faint crackle or pop when I first turned the key off,but I wasn't listening for it. Don't see anything loose,but the starter's not easy to visualize. Any help/suggestions here? Have I overlooked the obvious. Just trying to learn-and get the car started. Thanks.
Sounds like you have a bad solinoid,on the starter,or ignition switch. Can you jump the starter with a screwdriver? (between the small post,and the larger batt. cable post) If it jumps, then you have a bad switch. Sparky p.s. the only stupid question, is the one not asked.
Try getting someone to turn the switch while you hit the starter from the bottom with a hammer. If that works....put another starter on it the armature bushings are worn .
Just an update-tapping the starter didn't help. There's a weird connector on the small post, which is under the header,so I haven't figured out how to jump across the posts, yet. I did find a blown 15A fuse in the fuse box-of course it's not labeled by the guy who wired the car up,but I'm, su****ious! Had too many household projects to pick up a fuse but maybe that's it-If it is,then the next problem is-why did it blow? Thanks for all the help,I'll keep posting the progress.
You need to jump across the small post marked with a S, not the R one, if there is one at all. Jump it to the large nut, on the battery cable. Use a screwdriver or pair of pliers,it will make a big spark,and kinda scare ya' if youv'e never done it before. A new starter,with a new solenoid won't be too expensive though,for a small block. Sparky
Here's a bit of an update-we don't get time for car stuff these days so it's been a while. We jumped the starter/solenoid and that worked. Started tracing wires and switches and it appears to be an issue with the last 4" and the connector going to the smaller "S" post. So I'm off to get the proper bit of wire and connector and then maybe we'll be set again. (Of course it would be the only bit of wire and sized connector I am out of at the moment. I expected that.)
Last update! 4" of new primary wire, one new ring connector and a bit of dielectric grease and she started up on the first pull! Thanks for everyone's help-I'm back on the road.
What jalopy said is right on.My '60 would not start sometimes ( at the worst times actually) and then it wouldnt act up again for days.I would end up jumping the solenoid with a screw driver to crank it. I changed everthing cables , key switch, etc.I even cleaned the connection on the engine harness ,where it plugs into the firewall and added an extra ground.Turns out it had a bad spot somewhere in the starter wire between the key and the solenoid .I never found it ,so i just ran a new wire from the key to the solenoid and it never did it again.
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