Random starting problem

RonchoPoncho · Addicted!

Random starting problem

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I'm going to start by asking my standard question: "Do you have a wiring diagram for your car?"

I suggest putting a volt meter on the purple wire at your starter. When you turn the ignition to the "start" position, you should get 12 volts at that purple wire. That purple wire starts at the ignition, and goes through the neutral safety switch, so there's a couple failure points. Check it out.

RonchoPoncho · Addicted!

I will start there.
thanks

hawkeye5766 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

seventy2plus2 wrote:
I'm going to start by asking my standard question: "Do you have a wiring diagram for your car?"
I suggest putting a volt meter on the purple wire at your starter. When you turn the ignition to the "start" position, you should get 12 volts at that purple wire. That purple wire starts at the ignition, and goes through the neutral safety switch, so there's a couple failure points. Check it out.

x2 and you will need 2 people (wife?) also I would unplug the coil wire to the distributor so that it doesn't start and you can keep testing/cranking.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Does it ever do it cold, or only when the engine is warm?

hawkeye5766 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Carl Stevenson wrote:
Does it ever do it cold, or only when the engine is warm?

Line 2,put that Coke down Carl! wink

SGS Welding · Guru

Check this if you haven't already . Remove and clean and then reinstall your battery connections. I had this problem once and this was the fix. I eventually got rid of the cheap Canadian tire style clamp on ( wire side)battery clamps and soldered on high quality brass ones. ( they still need a clean up once in a while) Hope this helps Greg

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

hawkeye5766 wrote:

Carl Stevenson wrote:
Does it ever do it cold, or only when the engine is warm?
Line 2,put that Coke down Carl!

Haha, whoops, yup, too much Coke today alright!!!

Yes, cleaning all connections is a great place to start. Also, I would make sure all grounds are good, body to chassis, chassis to engine, engine to body.

But what do I know, I couldn't even read the initial post thoroughly biggrin

RonchoPoncho · Addicted!

hopefully I will get back out to the garage today and check out a few things. starting with the easiest being the battery cables. It does have the original spring ring style cables that don't fit as tight as I would like. I hope it's something that simple. Thanks for the help.

1965CS · Guru

When I first got my 65, someone had butchered all the wiring as well as adding a separate wire from the IGN switch to the solenoid. When I re-wired the entire car, c/w new IGN switch and several new wires, I eliminated this added wire and this same random failing to start problem occurred. Never did figure out why so I added a separate wire again to resolve it - no problems since.

davepl · Poncho Master!

Purple wire 99% of the time. People try to put ammeters, kill switches, all sort of nonsense into that circuit. They make a single bad connection there and, more usually when hot, the purple wire can no longer supply enough current to kick in the solenoid, so nothing happens at all.

Sounds like people have this covered, I just wanted to say "Me too!" on the purple wire because it's bitten me and friends so many times...

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

On my 65 Acadian I finally put on a remote solenoid and never had an issue again. I just hated that it didn't look original with it there.

Now I don't have to worry any more, I have a 3 on the tree, I can push start!

RonchoPoncho · Addicted!

I just wanted to give an update to my starting issue. It was the purple wire at the starter that was very brittle and only hanging on by a few strands.
Thanks again everyone for the help.