My 235 won't start

I parked my 53 Bel Air last fall and haven't tried starting it till just recently and it doesnt want to start. Put in a new 6v battery and it turned fast for a few seconds then just died out. I installed a new starter solenoid last summer too. Aside from checking/cleaning connections what else could it be? It ran fine when I parked it last year.

 

Starter brushes??

 

No start? Or no crank?

 

Is it getting fuel? Is it getting spark? If it was running when you parked it, I would start there.

 

Is your new battery new to you or brand new? Often new batteries need a good charge before using and used batteries are just what they are. A week battery in a 6volt system will often not start the car if they are at all weak because thet don't send enough current to the ignition. Sounds like you have a cranking problem not a starting problem.

 

fam, after you work out your cranking issue, remember the new corn-fuel does not last anything like gasoline used to. Drain all of it out, replace the filter, and empty the carb bowls and start fresh. That's the minimum on the to do list. TR

 

As mentioned, a new battery is not always a fully charged battery. Make sure all battery and ignition connections are clean and tight. With the weather we have been having here lately I would check for moisture in the distributor cap. Clean all cap & rotor contacts inside the cap & out. If the battery is well charged, it sounds like corrosion has set in on the cable ends (both ends of each cable) over the winter. Maybe a corroded crimp connection on a cable.

 

It cranked over for a second or two then just slowed down to nothing like the battery died. I'm going to try new battery cables. As far as the starter goes it was tested to be fine but I am starting ( no pun intended) to suspect the starter is somehow drawing to much??? STUMPED

 

I'd have the battery load tested, new or not.

 

Short across the two big solenoid connections with a big piece of metal & see if it cranks that way. You will make some sparks but firmly connect the two. If it does crank, the solenoid is bad. If it plays the same trick as you describe there is not much left but cables or battery. Or a dragging starter armature or bad brushes. It could spin with no load on it but once you start making work hard it could change things. In the last 55 years of playing with this stuff I have brought home many new bad parts, including batteries. These days even more you can't be sure a new part is a good part. I think somebody said that.

 

Clean the cable ends first and any time that a vehicle sits for an extended period of time. Then clean the points and change fuel. 99% of the time it will start without any other repairs. Moisture and humidity are the enemy of idle vehicles. battery terminals and points are subject to corosion. Did you clean the cables when you changed the battery?

 

Remember you need big thick cables . 2/O is great but minimum is 1gauge.