Dead 1930 4dr

170bdlx

170bdlx

Junior Member
Won't turn over. No lights, horn, wiper.

Battery reads 6 volts. Double grounded to frame and trans. Voltage at starter switch, both sides of fuse, both junction terminals and one side of coil, stop light switch and alternator.

What an I missing? Can there be voltage shown at the battery but not enough amps to light the lights? Could there be an issue with the light switch? If so why won't the starter turn over?

Car has been driven over 3,000 miles since restoration.

Help ! I'm lost.
 
a fully charged battery will read about 6.3 volts.. have seen bad batterys show the proper voltage but with a load drop off and then back to near normal voltage with no load. what is the voltage reading at the battery posts when trying to crank it? make sure your connections are good at the ground connection on the frame. sounds like it could be a bad battery
 
I suspect bad ground or dead battery. The first thing I do before Ii start any carm is turn on the dash light. That tells me I've got juice. Then I watch that light as I step on the starter. That tells me if I've fgot enough juice to do the job. If it dims, I know I've got a problem with my battery or ground. If it really dims, the starter usually won't crank.

Put the battery on a good strong charge for 24 hours and try it again.
 
170bdlx said:
Won't turn over. No lights, horn, wiper.

Battery reads 6 volts. Double grounded to frame and trans. Voltage at starter switch, both sides of fuse, both junction terminals and one side of coil, stop light switch and alternator.

What an I missing? Can there be voltage shown at the battery but not enough amps to light the lights? YES place the meter on the battery and hit the starter, what is the voltage while cranking?Could there be an issue with the light switch?YES as it would also affect the horn If so why won't the starter turn over?Bad battery, starter bendix stuck

Car has been driven over 3,000 miles since restoration.

Help ! I'm lost.
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Forget everything else for now and get the starter to turn the engine(does it turn over with the hand crank?).

The starter needs nothing but the battery, wire to the starter switch, starter grounded and the battery grounded to work. I feel if you get the starter to turn the rest will work.

So, place the meter on the battery and hit the starter, what is the voltage while cranking?
 
If the battery posts show good voltage both times, with and without pushing the starter switch, then move the volt meter lead to the battery cable and check the voltage again. This will show if you have a bad connection at the post/cable end.

Was everything fine one day and then bad the next? Or did the car set for a long time?

And, if you have a master switch and it's turned on, check the voltage on both sides of it while pushing the starter. It might be bad.
 
Thanks everyone. The problem was a bad connection at the pos. battery post. It was tight and clean and couldn't be turned, I turned on the dash light and removed the cable. When I put it back on, after cleaning, everything worked. This is one of those flat grounds and it looked like it might have been coated with something on the inside. I put it on the car 20 years ago and the car has been driven often over the last two years. I was back on the road this a.m.
 
I have had many no- starts over the years because of bad connections. Unless you know they are 100% check them. Most important on 6 V systems.
Brian Warmuth
 
170bdlx said:
Thanks everyone. The problem was a bad connection at the pos. battery post. It was tight and clean and couldn't be turned, I turned on the dash light and removed the cable. When I put it back on, after cleaning, everything worked. This is one of those flat grounds and it looked like it might have been coated with something on the inside. I put it on the car 20 years ago and the car has been driven often over the last two years. I was back on the road this a.m.
Click to expand...

Yes, Thanks for the followup!
 
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