Customs Starter issues.

I have a 56 Chevy truck that acts up from time to time. It will start right up and run for days and then, out of nowhere, it won’t start. All the connections are good and I am not running a bunch of electronics. The only thing that solves the issue is to disconnect and then reconnect the battery. I am at a loss and cannot see any relays or other impediments. Any ideas?

 

With the limited amount of information, I'd start with a New fresh battery and cables.
We see this all the time at our Hot Rod Shop because we get allot of cars and trucks that sit a week or more at a time and those items just fail over time.

 

If it starts right up after pulling the cables off the battery and putting them right back on.... Clean the battery posts and terminals until they are shiny. Grey colored means corrosion. Just because they aren't covered in yellow futz doesn't mean they can't be corroded. Clean them and put a little wheel bearing grease on them before you bolt the terminals back on.

 

sounds to me like you are actually rebooting something as you disconnect and reconnect the battery....
MORE information required...........

 

I use oversized cables on everything. If the battery is in the stock position I’d try 6volt cables and make sure there is a small wire from the engine to the body. They were the open weave originally. Today an awg #10 stranded is good.

 

maybe there's a loose connection in one of the battery cables, that gets wiggled enough to connect for a while, then goes bad, and moving it gets it working again.

A test light or volt meter or IR temp gun can help you find the problem...but it takes some patience to find it.

 

Won't start meaning no cranking or cranking but not firing up?

Two things that are always needed, clean connections and lots of grounds. Clean all connections (at battery, block and starter) and have many grounds (battery to frame, block to frame, body to frame or any mixture).

 

^This.

If it's a simple(electrically)truck, then it may be that the cable is internally rotted and you just can't see. Move the cable around and it makes the connection, good to go for a while until it vibrates into a break.

As noted clean the connections but use an anti-oxidant grease that will prevent corrosion and also improve connectivity. Some bearing greases can act as insulators, you want to promote the connection.

Verify the battery terminals are in good condition and not moving around, rotating or moving up and down, this will make/break the connection in a battery with bad terminals.

Verify the battery terminal connection is tight, wrench tight. If you can twist it off by hands the connection is loose and not sufficient.

 

The battery is new as is the wiring. I upgraded from 6v to 12v. I will recheck the connections but I have done this multiple times. Just frustrating. Thanks for all the info.

 

here’s my advice from another thread......

99% of the time when you have changed something and have a problem, it is the thing you changed, or something that you altered to change the something that you changed..........

The other 1% it’s something you did that you didn’t realise that you did when you changed the something that needed to be changed.........

if it is something else, then you have extremely unfortunate luck and should just give up.......

 

We still miss info about exactly what happens when you get a failed starting attempt. All important clues.

 

I chased something similar once and found the cable corroded inside a weak, factory applied battery terminal clamp. The corrosion caused high resistance/bad connection to the cable. I remember pulling on the cable and it pulled out of the clamp and was obviously corroded.
It could be when you remove the cable it re-establishes connection but, when the high amp load of the starter is applied, the connection is lost. Something to check.

 

"won't start" How many times do we here this? What does it mean? "won't start" could mean it will not crank, could also mean cranks but will not "fire up" or "run"
So most people trying to help are thinking the truck will not crank, are they right?

does this mean you are running some? and are these electronics running your battery down? We can guess not, as you say to get the truck to "start" you remove the battery cable then reinstall. not charging the battery.
If when it does not "start" you mean it cranks but will not "fire" until you disconnect and reconnect the battery, could it be that something is not working in your ignition system.... what do you have there? points? some type aftermarket system?

 

When a new problem shows up , go back to the last thing you fixed

 

^^^^^ @31Vicky with a hemi , - you’re spoiling my fun by wording it so simplistically..........

 

I wonder if the voltage regulator may have something to do with it ???

 

Nope, he has a bad connection on one of the cables that he removes and replaces. Inside of cable end cruddy or post cruddy, corroded inside the terminal where the wire goes or a bad connection with a universal replacement end. Bad or loose ground that temporarily makes contact long enough to start once after giggling the cables around.

 

I'm curious, what all did you do to convert this 1956 Chevrolet to 12 Volt?
Is this a 6cylinder truck or a V8?

 

Top up the blinker fluid.

A few weeks ago I saw an OT vehicle of a type I'm looking for on the auction site. Listed as Spares or Repair - Won't Start. Now these babies are notorious for snapping cranks so a no start is probably an expensive fix. The ad was long and detailed, but didn't give any indication of the starting problem until the very last line where it was revealed that the engine had been stolen!

Chris

 

I'll add the complete opposite of what was said in another somewhat meaningless thread.

Put a Ford engine in your Chevy truck.

 

Just 'cause it's new, doesn't mean it's good.
Use your voltmeter and verify, verify, verify.

 

If the battery has a loose terminal don't try to move it to get it to make contact. I had a battery explode right in my face doing this.. Aloe Vera and vinegar in a spray bottle with cool water with ice took the pain and scars away.. My buddys kept jagging around telling me I smelled like a salad..

 

^Had one blow up in my face once. Fortunately, I was at a lake and got to the water just as things were starting to burn.
I was also lucky I had sunglasses on, because pieces from the top of the battery (covered with acid) bounced off my face. Now, whenever I mess with a battery, I blow on them first, to help remove any fumes. Live and learn.

 

Can you answer the question ?

does it crank but not fire

or does nothing ?

have you checked battery state of charge? With a DVOM ?

starter draw ?

how many and where are your grounds ?

power and ground wire sizing ?

voltage drop when cranking ?

Or.....
Is it fuel
Is it spark
Is it timing
Is it beer
Is it whiskey
Is it boobies ?


Sheesh man , answering questions on the ‘net is frustrating enough but a 1/2 a question is a real pain in the ........

 

Na must be a bad body control module, rebooting it resets the security system......................

 

Every damn morning!!
it’s funny but not

 

Just saving you some time!!!

 

Wtf are you running that could possibly reset? some new dangling fandasticilly computer crap?
Anytime electrons aren’t behaving or acting like they’re thinking on their own it’s usually a bad ground.

 

I believe Scott picked up his toys and went home.

So..Ahmm...It sure was hot today.