g body not cranking????'s

[dickeymoore]

My 1980 Monte Carlo will not crank sometimes, I traced all the starter wires and ignition wires and replaced them.,and sometimes when I try to start car it clicks and will start but sometimes i have to jump the starter and it cranks, ground wire is grounded to the engine block and the battery is 3 years old new alternator any help?Thanks

 

[383_StealthRam]

Starter, or starter solenoid needs replacing? I don't think you mentioned you replaced that, which would have been the most likely cause imho?

What is the condition of the battery cables, and terminals for both the hot to starter solenoid and ground to block/frame.

 

[dickeymoore]

Starter is a fairly new Powermaster starter, cables are fairly new also.

 

[Ernest]

The 3yr old battery could be on its way out, have it checked out at a local parts store with their tester if none of your own, or a possible problem with the ignition switch and/or connection.

I have one one of these and its very informative...

 

[dickeymoore]

ok Thanks

 

[383_StealthRam]

Is the problem more when hot soaked, is there headers maybe you need a heat shield or the solenoid on the power master is on fritz. You have to troubleshoot when the problem occurs to check if there's power on solenoid wire from IGN switch. It's tough unless you have two people though.

The fact that you put a jump on it gets it to go would kinda point to low battery condition, or bad connection/ corrosion that the extra boost voltage helps overcome so definitely double check those. Also make sure there's no paint on the block where the starter bolts up to.

Hope you find the issue.

 

[CopperNick]

Shift lever on the column or on the floor? On the column and the Neutral switch is located down on the mast below the ignition socket. On the floor and it ought to be attached to the floor shifter inside the console.

Check the neutral switch to make sure that the vehicle is going completely into park at the switch. If the little finger on the bottom of the switch that indexes into the slot on the steering column is worn or bent or damaged then the switch will not consistently fall into park and you will be unable to start it.

If the culprit, then with a column the switch is held in place by two screws that are metric headed, I think, You can both see it and get your hands on it if under the dash but getting it out usually means that you have to drop the column to get more room for the job. Yes it can be done with the column still resident but lots more finagling and cussing involved.

With the console shifter, you have to partially dismantle the console to get at the shifter mechanism. Beware the screws as they are small and love to try to escape and hide.



nick