starting problem

[wfridolfson 10]

have 69 with starting trouble, will start for weeks no trouble then one day will go out and won't start, i can jump solenoid and drive car for awhile and when i get home and shut off it will start just fine again, has new ignition switch, starter solenoid and starter was new when i put motor together, i'm thinking it could be in harness it is original, any ideas? by not starting i mean it will not turn over at all, power to everything else but like solenoid is bad but its new

[ray1970 88]

New only means it is new but still can be no good.(just like women) 

Had more than one bad NEW solenoid.

You say you jump the solenoid... Are you jumping across the two large temanals  or across one large and one small?

[wfridolfson 10]

one large and one small, what has me confused is it will starte after i drive it for awhile, start like normal for weeks but then one day it wont start again

[jholmes217 65]

Check to ensure you have good clean contacts on the coil wires, and make sure the coil wire nuts are tightened down good.  That fixed mine when I had a similar issue.

[Brian Conway 264]

Get another starter solenoid. Brian

[Mach1 Driver 560]

You can't diagnose this problem until it doesn't work. When it isn't starting put one voltmeter lead on Solenoid terminal S (with the wire still connected) and the other voltmeter lead to chassis.

1.Turn the key to start, you should get 12vdc. If you DO get 12v and the solenoid doesn't engage (click) then its a bad solenoid.

2. If the solenoid clicks but it still doesn't crank, move the voltmeter lead from solenoid S to the cable going down to the starter. If you still don't get 12v with the key in start its the solenoid.

3. If you do get 12v but it doesn't crank, its the starter.

4. If you DO NOT get 12v on terminal S with the key in start then it would one of two things:

    A. The neutral safety switch is not closed. Check for voltage on each side of the switch. If you get voltage on one side but not the other either adjust the switch or replace it. 

    B. You are not getting voltage out of the ignition switch terminal S. Check for voltage at terminal S with the key in start. If you don't get it, it is a bad ignition switch.

[1969_Mach1 333]

I don't know if I understand the issue correctly.  It sounds like it will always start by jumping across two of the terminals on the solenoid.  If that is correct, then If it always starts when he jumps across the bat cable post terminal and the small terminal closest to it (I believe the 'S' labeled terminal) on the starter solenoid, then it's probably not the solenoid.  I've had my share of bad new components.  But, I would first double check the electrical connections at areas like the ignition switch, bulkhead connector at the firewall, and the solenoid.  Juggle and pull on wires at those connections.  I agree with Mach1 Driver, also look at the neutral safety switch and the wiring to it.  If it were my car, with that intermittent issue, I would replace the neutral safety switch and make certain the wiring is also okay.

 

I know it is very true that intermittent problems are hard to diagnose until the problem exists.  But on the other side, when it does occur, depending on the problem, you can be stuck on the road somewhere.  So you often end up throwing parts at it instead of waiting to be stuck somewhere when it acts up.

[wfridolfson 10]

OK i have checked all grounds, cleaned reattached, checked with volt meter and an getting 12V at S post on solenoid when key is in start position and also getting 12V at post going to starter still nothing, cross over solenoid and starts, i am completely stumped, have tried moving wires around at bulkhead and ignition switch, still nothing, neutral safety switch is not hooked up, will start in any gear, i know it should be hooked up just giving all info i can

[wfridolfson 10]

checked neutral safety switch and it is hooked up, but when it is starting it will start in any  position, maybe my problem all along

[1969_Mach1 333]

OK i have checked all grounds, cleaned reattached, checked with volt meter and an getting 12V at S post on solenoid when key is in start position and also getting 12V at post going to starter still nothing, cross over solenoid and starts, i am completely stumped, have tried moving wires around at bulkhead and ignition switch, still nothing, neutral safety switch is not hooked up, will start in any gear, i know it should be hooked up just giving all info i can

 

Don't know what to add.  Those results don't make sense.

 

Are you certain its not something simple like a bad battery cable end or connection.  And in the process of determining what is wrong you move a battery cable slightly and it works again.  My neighbor had this happen on a 1965 Mustang.  The +battery cable eyelet at the solenoid had a bad connection to the cable.  Occasionally it wouldn't crank.  If you moved the cable slightly, by accident or intentionally, it would work.  Do you have power for lights, etc, when it doesn't crank?

 

Something is definitely wrong with the neutral safety switch.  But, make certain all the simple stuff is okay. 

[Midlife 814]

Jiggle the automatic shifter while trying to crank when it doesn't crank.  Sometimes those NSS switches are troublesome. 

 

Sometimes trying to start the car in Neutral rather than Park is another way to check the NSS.

[LindenBruce 27]

Well, if you are getting voltage to the starter, but it still won't start, sounds like the brushes are hanging up inside of the starter.  There is a simple way of checking the starter when this happens.  Have someone tap the side of the starter with a hammer when she wont start all the while holding the key to the crank position.  If she turns over as you tap on the starter it is the brushes.  B.

[Mach1 Driver 560]

 neutral safety switch is not hooked up

 

Are the wires going the neutral safety switch connected together, effectively bypassing the switch? The normal path is from the ignition switch S through the neutral safety switch then to solenoid S. If the two wires to the neutral safety switch are not connected together then it can't start.

 

If you take the wire off solenoid S and connect a wire directly to battery + and then solenoid S it should crank, and continue to crank as long as the wire is connected. It will stop as soon as you disconnect the wire, but if the key is in the on position it will continue to run.