Electrical Problem HELP

Sounds like the problem may be in the ignition switch. Is the fuel gauge indicating a quantity when you are cranking the engine, or does it remain at empty?

Try putting a temporary wire from the coil positive terminal to the battery cable side (hot side) of the starter solenoid. Then try starting the car.

Some words of caution:

This jumper wire will be unfused, so make sure that the connection to the coil won't vibrate loose and short out.

When the engine starts, you won't be able to shut it off with the key. Depress the clutch pedal, put the shifter into any gear, depress the brake pedal and hold (firmly), and stall the engine by slowly releasing the clutch pedal.

You could also get out of the car and remove the jumper while the engine is running.

John

I went through very same thing with my 71. After beating the shit out of myself for about 3 weeks I left my tack unhooked and it started right and ran great. If I toughed the tack wire to the coil it would die. I haven't looked for the short in the tack yet I just left it unhooked and it runs great. Have you tried to run a hot wire to your coil and bypass your ignition and leave everything else off the coil.

It all started when I installed a stereo! At on point I forgot to disconnect the battery and POP! I lost all power to the car. I was told that if I put a jumper between those wires it would regain power and it did. I would just have to once in awhile touch those wires. My ammeter still bounced like normal etc..

Then a few weeks ago I accidentally hit one of the wires with my knee and it basically melted my jumper on the ammeter so I replaced it and it worked once again. So I took off down the street and maybe got 8 houses down and it just
died completely and the ammeter stopped all together.

I call PI Motorsports and they said just take the wires off the ammeter and bolt them together so I did and then I got the click sound etc from the starter. I took the starter out because It was going anyway and it done for. So I replaced the new starter today and it will turn over better than ever now but just wont fire up! But on the plus side my wiper resevoir now works and blinkers work once again.

I hooked a meter on the coil and got 6 volts and like I said above when I checked the coil I only saw a spark when I turned the key off after turning it over.

All my gauges work except ammeter and the fuel gauge does work showing fuel when the key is turned on. I never knew my horn worked with key off and my wipers work too when the key is out of the ignition. Is that normal too? I never use my wipers because I dont ever drive in the rain.

So you think it could be the ignition and try the jumper you guys are talking about?

I can tell you these cars you learn something different everytime you work on them!

If you can think of anything else that would be great! Thanks!

You're not getting ignition power while cranking. Try the jumper like the guys advised.
Will

quote:

Sounds like the problem may be in the ignition switch.

quote:

You're not getting ignition power while cranking.

The electrical contacts in the ignition switch are all contained in an easily removable unit, screwed to the back of the ignition housing.

If you are careful and skilled, you can open this unit and clean things up. See this tutorial at www.panteraplace:

http://panteraplace.com/page125.htm

If you find it too far gone, or just want to replace the entire unit, I have New Old Stock units for sale. I will sell and ship one to you for $100.

Larry

I tried the Coil / Solenoid Jumper and it still didnt start! I even cleaned up all the contacts on the ballast everything. I am about beat here! All electrical works just wont start. Any other suggestions? I have all week! lol

This might be a place to check out.

Ignition problems

Since you have had electrical gremlins, i.e. Alt, regulator, ammeter, ign switch and a replaced starter. I would:

1. Walk away from it for a bit to get calmed down.
2. Research the way the wiring is supposed to be.
3. Go back and methodically confirm wiring for each component throughly one at a time. Shotgunning for a solution just makes headaches.
4. If you are running an MSD 6AL or like system, it will not run at 6 volts. IF your 6 volt reading is during cranking I would back trace that wire to its source. resister or resister wire come to mind..
5. Where did you place your jumper? Both sides. If you jumper supplied a full 12 volts where it was supposed to be on a 6AL you should have run...unless you had a bad module in the distributer....I just replaced one, same symptoms. What ignition system you running? I don't remember reading that.
5. Be methodical, it helps.

Angelo

This Jumper is supposed to automatically turn the car over correct? Without turning the key over? I tried it all ways and by just connecting it with key out and in ignition my Brake light comes on but Car does not turn over unless I turn the key all the way. I placed one end on the Pos+ side of Coil & the other to Battery+ Solenoid.

I have a some kind of theft prevention in this car from previous owner and I would just like to completely disconnect it and wire it up with what I have to rid all this stupid excess wire.

My images start with the theft device and so on. The help I am getting is great and I appreciate all of it. Its a never ending process with these cars but they are worth the looks and awe as you drive down the road!

My Ammeter is by passed and the Red & Black wires on that are connected via themselves not the Ammeter but the remaining wires are on the Ammeter.

Aside from advising to clean up that bowl of spagetti, I would first check the voltage going into and out of both sides of that dual resister. I can't help on the pertronix system.

You could have a problem with the theft system that wasn't mentioned earlier I believe, or I'm old and forgot. If you no longer want it, now would be an ideal time to remove it and clean up that wiring while you are tracing this problem.

Like I advised earlier, slow and methodical, since It is ign electrical, I would (after removing deterent system) back trace from the Dist to the coil etc, you will run into the problem. Most likely find it a simple thing, easy to overlook.

Angelo

If your ignition used to work then quit, it was hooked up right - or at least in a manner that functioned. Something has opened, shorted, or failed. Corroded connectors, loose wires, open ballast resistor are common failure points. You might also check for a shorted condenser.