Hello all, I am hoping someone here can help me 'cause I now have tried everything that comes to mind and quite frankly i'm losing my mind. I have had problems with my monte starting lately. I just recently put in a mildly built 400sbc. I noticed the factory 66amp alternator was giving me problems due to the flexalite electric fan I installed (draws 18amps). I replaced the alternator with a brand new 105 amp high output alternator and I am currently running a brand new optima red top battery, new starter, new distributor (timing is set correctly). Here's the thing, it still won't go. The volts show it's charging and there's plenty of power there. When I go to start it, it wants to go but will not completely turn over. It had turned over a dozen times with the 66 amp alternator before the alternator needed to be replaced cause it was draining itself dry. I have checked all the electrical to the battery, the posts, alternator & all connections, starter and distributor connections. I have also checked the belts. Everything appears to be connected and in place. The car has a half a tank of gas in it. Anyone have any clue's as to what the problem might be? Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks much.
Help Please!
- Thread starter adv1288
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sounds to me like the starter is starting not to want to put out all it has to even though the power is going to it. thats the only thing i can think of, anything else and you would hear something different if it was mechanical
try another battery first though, it might show good but it might be bad. dont buy a new battery just pull one from another good running car first just be be sure. i know you said the battery is checking out but its just another way to dubble check. dont want you to run out and get another starter if its just a battery going bad. but if its not the battery then im about 100% its the starter
Could it possibly be that the battery is not fully charged? I just picked it up and the manufacturing sticker on it says 8/10 meaning it was manufactured aug 2010? I shouldn't need to charge it before first time use...or am I wrong? I haven't tried boosting it but that's only because I have heard bad tales about charging dry cells ..especially new ones? :S
I know you said the optima red top is new, but did the stored voltage in the battery drop below 10 volts? If it did it can't be charged by a battery charger designed for lead acid batteries. My brother-in-law had similar problems with his 1943 Ford with a LT-1 and his friend told him to try the charged battery out of his truck. Fired right up! He said the red tops need at least 10 volts to be charged by by a regular charger, anything less needs a charger designed for optimas. Just a thought!
Doug
Doug
get it from autozone? the reason i ask is that my grandma just went through 3 batteries from autozone in the last 4 months. heard from someone that works for them that there has been a lot of them going around at autozone. but if not, yeah run it down to oreilly's or whatever auto store is there and let them charge it for an hour and try her again. i hate jumping cars but as long as its not a newer(1995+) there is no real danger of damage to anything.
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