Starting

[NWAspider]

Hello my friends, once again thanks for the help. So my baby (1975 spider) has been parked for a month waiting for idler arm parts to come in. I went out to give her a start and keep everything flowing. First thing I noticed was that I think someone ripped off the cover from the ignition wiring, nothing looks cut. I tried to start the engine got a few solid attempts to turn over then the starter just wouldn't engage. First thought is battery/ starter. I just replaced the starter last month got maybe 2 solid weeks of driving out of it. I'm thinking maybe battery is too low. The thing that is making me nervous is that I'm hearing a loud buzzing sound from the passenger side dash area. Any ideas on what that is? Also on an unrelated note while I was looking under the passenger side dash I saw a lever I've never seen before, What is that?

[mdrburchette]

I don't know what the buzzing sound is unless something was left on and, with the weak battery, isn't fully functional. Is the lever attached to a canister? It may be the fresh air duct.

[NWAspider]

Cool thanks, didn't even know that was there. I called O'Riely's, the buzzing is fairly common with a dead battery.

[NWAspider]

I got my battery tested and charged it was fine at about 93%. My car still won't start. I can get it turn turn over, get a jump of rpms then it just dies. After a handful of tried the starter wouldn't turn over. So I got a jump, eventually even with jumper cables on, the starter wouldn't turn over anymore. I'm going to try hosing some starting fluid in it. Does anybody have suggestions, if this doesn't work then I'll be taking it to the shop next week which I can't really afford.

[CShroom]

Did the starter make a bunch of racket before it quit turning? Maybe like it was starting to lag?

You might be just lucky enough that you drained the battery trying to get it to start. I would actually advise two things.

First get a multimeter. You can pick one up for less than twenty bucks at Wal Mart and such. It won''t be the best, but good enough to check resistance and basic volts. Test the battery voltage just to make sure it is somewhere close to 12, anything less than maybe 11.5 is going to give you grief.

If that checks ok, test the voltage at the starter itself. Make sure that they gibe. If you have a drop along the way, it may be as simple as a dirty connection.

If you have been fighting it for a while to get started, you may want to go back through all the pulled wires just to be sure everything is where it is supposed to be.

And if everything still checks out voltage, wiring, etc. You may end up having the dubious pleasure of finding a new starter.

But if that battery is low, I would invest in a charger, I picked up my last one for about 40 dollars from Big Lots of all places, but anything that can push out 12 volts is going to help. It may just take longer to charge it up on a cheap unit.

[spidersteve007]

Am living a starter nightmare, did voltage checks after replacing solenoid, and needed new starter. Old one was in rough shape (78 - 124 spider). I get new starter and still click click click, More voltage checks; one was negative cable check and one was positive cable check. One failed and one passed, the positive test failed which means need new cable or connector problem.
I think engine ground could be the issue. Stuck in Albq. with dead spider. anyone else have same issue?

[azruss]

you can do a lot of trouble shooting with a good battery and a set of jumper cable. use the cable to create a new ground. clamp to the starter housing and a good chassis point and see if that helps. if you have life, then your engine ground is the issue. next, use the cable to go straight to the upper lug on the starter solenoid to the 12v+ on the good battery. use the other as a good ground. turn the key. if you are still dead then the issue is the key or wire between the soleniod and the key. finally, make a jumper wire with a clip to hook to the soleniod activation blade. strike that wire across the 12V battery terminal and see if you have life. If the final one does fire the starter, then you have a bad starter/solenoid.