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Technical Electrical gremlins

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by kevo, Sep 28, 2015.

  1. kevo
    Joined: Feb 5, 2009
    Posts: 174

    kevo
    Member
    from Keller, TX

    I've got a question regarding my 1962 Cadillac... when I turn the key, I have power to lights, fuel pump, etc.. as soon as I go to start the car, it turns over about 1/4 of a turn and stops, then all power is gone. If I pull a battery cable and hook it back, power is back. It's like it trips a breaker, and pulling a cable resets it... it's weird. Anyone have an idea of what could be doing this?

    Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
     
  2. King ford
    Joined: Mar 18, 2013
    Posts: 1,477

    King ford
    Member
    from 08302

    Sounds like dirty connections, clean the battery cables and posts and TIGHTEN both cables, what often happens you will get enough power through a tiny bit of contact in the connection, enough for lights etc. but you try to crank it it will arc and burn off said tiny contact area....
     
  3. Don's Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 7, 2005
    Posts: 8,319

    Don's Hot Rods
    Member
    from florida

    King is right, start right at the battery, and make everything shiny clean with some dielectric grease on all the connections. Make sure they are tight, and then move on to the connections on the block and starter.

    I just had a customer at work who was chasing a similar problem. As he was telling me the story, I said "You have a bad ground" but he said he had cleaned all the connections well. So I told him to run one lead of a jumper cable from the negative post on the battery to the block and then try it. He came back and said "It started !"

    Turns out his ground battery cable looked good but was bad internally. We sold him a new ground cable and his problem disappeared. He had even put a volt meter on everything and it showed 12 volts, but it went to zero when he turned the key.

    Moral of story, don't assume everything is ok because they look good.

    Don
     
  4. Shiny connections = happy electrons
     

  5. kevo
    Joined: Feb 5, 2009
    Posts: 174

    kevo
    Member
    from Keller, TX

    I'm going to have to try that.... if that were the problem, would removing the positive battery cable and putting it back, get power back?

    Here's a clip of what I'm seeing... the first few clicks are my compressor clutch. When I try to start it, boom.. no more power. Battery terminals are cleaned and dielectric greased.



    Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2015
  6. 1. your negative ground cable needs to be attached to the engine block, not to the generator /alternator bracket.
    2. ^ check all battery /starter cables and ends. slide your hand along the cable to check for corrosion under the insulation.
     
  7. The Brown Sound
    Joined: Dec 18, 2014
    Posts: 131

    The Brown Sound
    Member
    from Maryland

    You have a bad connection somewhere. I had an almost identical problem on my shovelhead a few weeks ago, it was just a loose screw holding the lead to the + terminal of the battery, so I suspect it's just a matter of finding the source of your problem, then it should be a super easy fix from there.
     
  8. kevo
    Joined: Feb 5, 2009
    Posts: 174

    kevo
    Member
    from Keller, TX

    Yup, you guys were correct. I checked the starter, ignition switch, ground, etc.. pretty sure it turned out to be a loose nut on my positive battery cable/terminal. It cranks and such just fine now. Thanks for the suggestions

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    302GMC likes this.
  9. TonyVan
    Joined: Oct 15, 2008
    Posts: 120

    TonyVan
    Member
    from Vancouver

    It's nice to hear a problem, some suggestions, and then the OPreporring back on the solution with thanks.
    So many of these help requests never get closure.
     
  10. The Brown Sound
    Joined: Dec 18, 2014
    Posts: 131

    The Brown Sound
    Member
    from Maryland

    Agreed! Glad you fixed it!
     
  11. King ford
    Joined: Mar 18, 2013
    Posts: 1,477

    King ford
    Member
    from 08302

    Thanks for letting us know you got her to run, congrats!
     
  12. Good on you for taking the suggestions given and doing some troubleshooting.

    It sure is nice when you can get it all hashed out.

    Viva la H.A.M.B!!! :D
     
  13. kevo
    Joined: Feb 5, 2009
    Posts: 174

    kevo
    Member
    from Keller, TX

    Thanks y'all.. I got the ignition switch and the power stuff sorted, but I'm still not getting spark. I've rewired the pertronix, coil, new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc and no luck.. still working though

    Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
     

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