[DeTomaso] no crank, no start

[boyd casey]

Bob Levitt had the exact same problem this past weekend.  ( one not we
didn't resort to hitting the starter with a hammer) that's an old trick to
use when your starter solenoid ( the one one the starter NOT the firewall )
is on it's last legs, It is usually only good for one or two starts. The
first time you have to resort to hitting your starter to get it to engage ,
Drive right to the auto parts store (or your mechanic) and get a new starter
or have one installed .Do not turn off your car until it is at the location
where you are going to install the new starter.. If you have an upgraded
starting system (like a mini PGRM starter you no longer need the solenoid on
the fire wall. It can actually add to your problems (like hot start
problems) You should move all the wires from the left side terminal  ( left
if you are facing the firewall from the back of the car) and move them all
to the right hand post, so all the wires from both the left and right post
are now on the right (hot side ) of the solenoid.(  MAKE SURE THE BATTERY IS
DISCONNECTED AS IT SHOULD BE ANY TIME YOU ARE WORKING ON STARTER OR OTHER
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS) In Bob's case we found two problems . His voltage
regulator was bad so his battery was not receiving a full charge and most
importantly the skinny wire that goes from the solenoid on the firewall to
the solenoid on the starter ( it attaches to the narrower stud and is next
to the fat stud that has the big cable from the battery although it looked
like it was attached the wire came right out of the wire end loop when it
was touched. So That wire end was replaced and reattached to the starter and
they car started right up. We then checked the charge system (putting a
multi meter across both terminals of the battery with the car running and
the battery was only getting 11.5 volts. It should be getting close to 14
volts when running and charging. Bob popped in the new voltage regulator (a
very quick and simple job) and with in a few minutes the car was charging
the battery at 13.8 volts. Problem solved. You need a meter to diagnose any
electrical problem other wise you will wind up replacing good components and
wasting money. Always look for the simplest and most likely cause first.
Check all the connections in the system you are having a problem with, clean
all the terminals and make sure the connections are actually good. This can
be done very easily with an inexpensive multimeter. You can use it as a
continuity tester just to see if you actually have a connection and then as
an OHM meter to see it the connection has too much resistance. A connection
to the starter with too much resistance will not allow enough amps through
to engage the starter, so even though you have a wire that is connected and
is allowing current to pass it is not a "good enough" connection to start
the car. This type of problem can occur at any point in the starting
circuitry. At the ignition switch , the starter, the battery etc.

Boyd
On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 9:47 AM, John Maffeo <johnmaffeo1 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> All,
>
> thanks fior the advice, I will try cleaning the wire connections when I get
> home
> from work tonight.
>
> John
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Rob Dumoulin <rob at dumoulins.net>
> To: John Maffeo <johnmaffeo1 at yahoo.com>
> Cc: mail list Pantera <detomaso at realbig.com>
> Sent: Fri, July 1, 2011 4:33:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] no crank, no start
>
>  Clean with sandpaper all wires going to the starter and the solenoid. I
> got
> stranded once with the same issue and that got me going.
>
>
> On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 11:43 PM, John Maffeo <johnmaffeo1 at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> A few months ago, I went to start my car, and it would not start. It
> cranked,
> >but no start. The next time I tried, a few days after that, no crank, no
> >start.... just a click.
> >
> >I thought that the battery was dead so I bought a new one. Same problem,
> no
> >crank, just a click.
> >
> >I returned the new battery and put the old one on a charger. I installed a
> >negative battery cut-off in case there was a drain on the battery.
> >
> >I thought the starter (6 year old db mini torque) might be bad, so I
> hit it a
> >few times with a hammer. The car started right up!
> >
> >A few weeks later, no crank just a click. Hitting the starter did not
> work.
> back
> >to where I started.
> >
> >I ordered a new starter from db electrical. I installed it tonight, and I
> still
> >have the same problem. No crank. just a click.
> >
> >any ideas on what might be wrong?
> >
> >thanks in advance.
> >
> >John
> >_______________________________________________
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>
> --
> Rob DuMoulin
> 904.476.8744
> rob at dumoulins.net
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