Electrical problem has me stumped

rivcokid

rivcokid

Senior Member
Hi all - Last weekend I was at a car show and everything was fine until I went to leave. Total and complete dead car - no sound, no moaning, no groaning, and no cranking. It was like the battery was out of the car. Had AAA jump me twice to get me home and while the car was on, everything was fine as usual.
Apparently bad battery so got a new one, installed it, and same thing! No sound except once when it cranked. Otherwise, nothing. I've checked and charged the battery, checked the volts on the battery, ground cable and battery seems fine. When the ignition switch is off, I get 6 volts on both sides of the starter, with ignition on, I get 0. I tried hand-cranking it to no avail. The red book wants me to check all kinds of things, but with no power beyond the starter (that I can tell), I can't. It's not making any attempt at starting.

AAA may have used a 12-volt portable jumper to get me going - I didn't look, but he connected the positive lead to the positive terminal, and likewise with the negative and the car started right up and ran great.

Thanks in advance - I'm still very new to all of this!
 
rivcokid said:
<snip>

When the ignition switch is off, I get 6 volts on both sides of the starter, with ignition on, I get 0. I tried hand-cranking it to no avail.

<snip>

Thanks in advance - I'm still very new to all of this!
Click to expand...

Read what you wrote above again: Are you seeing 6 volts on each side of the starter? Or each side of the coil?

To clarify, the starter motor turns the engine over, but you are getting no spark? So the engine does not start.

.
 
Yes - 6 volts on each side of the starter. As for the other question, no - I get absolutely nothing. No crank, no sound, no nothing - so it's hard to test anything else.
 
I'm confused. (not tough to do :confused:)

Can you clarify what you mean by...

"I get 6 volts on both sides of the starter, with ignition on, I get 0"

I can't make sense out of that statement.

In your initial post you say...

"No sound except once when it cranked. Otherwise, nothing."

In your next post you say...

" I get absolutely nothing. No crank, no sound, no nothing"

So which is it? Does it crank but not start, or does it not even crank?
 
I get 6 volts measured at the battery bolt on the starter, and at the other bolt across the fuse leading to the box. That is, no matter what I put the tester on, I get 6 volts on the starter, but with the ignition switch in the off position. If it is in the on position, I get 0 at the starter.

No sound at all, although it did crank one time (out of probably 50 times that I've tried in hte past 2 days). The one time it cranked was definitely a freak occurrence.

There is no sound at all when I try to start using the starter button - no moan, no groan, no crank - it's like the battery isn't even in the car. That said - there was that ONE time that it did, but that was it. I've not been able to replicate it at all - just dead silence.
 
Do the lights and horn work? It seems to me that one of the connections somewhere in your wiring is loose or dirty. That would explain why you were able to get started those few times but have mostly had nothing because contact is not being made for the current to transfer.

By no means am I an electrician but I do know some stuff about electricity.
 
chrs1961815 said:
Do the lights and horn work? It seems to me that one of the connections somewhere in your wiring is loose or dirty. That would explain why you were able to get started those few times but have mostly had nothing because contact is not being made for the current to transfer.

By no means am I an electrician but I do know some stuff about electricity.
Click to expand...

No - Nothing works. No horn, lights, etc.
 
Is the fuse blown?

Has the starter rod become unscrewed from the switch on the starter?

What do you mean by..."the other bolt across the fuse leading to the box."

Have you tried measuring voltage from the stud that holds the cable to the starter to the case of the starter (with the key both on and off)?
 
It sounds like the key has nothing to do with the problem.
Check the grounding strap, it maybe moving when you get in.
If you are getting 6 volts at the starter and it still will not turn over the starter may be dead.
 
Dick Steinkamp said:
Is the fuse blown? - No

Has the starter rod become unscrewed from the switch on the starter? - Good question. I don't know, but it's now on my list of things to do!

What do you mean by..."the other bolt across the fuse leading to the box." - Ok, I'm no expert on this. There is a bolt that holds the battery cable on the rear of the starter, and there is another on the front of the starter that holds the wire that goes up to the ammeter. That's the one I'm talking about.

Have you tried measuring voltage from the stud that holds the cable to the starter to the case of the starter (with the key both on and off)?
Click to expand...
- I must have, since I tried just about every place on that segment of the engine. But I couldn't tell you any results. I'll try that too in the morning. Thanks!!!
 
Curtis in MA said:
It sounds like the key has nothing to do with the problem.
Check the grounding strap, it maybe moving when you get in. - It's good and tight.

If you are getting 6 volts at the starter and it still will not turn over the starter may be dead.
Click to expand...
- That is a fear since AAA probably used a 12 volt jumper to get me going twice.
 
Good Evening...You might want to disconnect both of your battery cables and check them carefully. A loose end or frayed cables can cause what you have. 12 volt will jump the gap and 6 volt will not. Use your meter and check the cables carefully. Also, if you have the little fuse on the side of the starter, change the fuse as they can fail inside the chrome ends where you can't see the failure. Both things have happened to me. Ernie in Arizona
 
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