car wont start!

[vetteKID]

My vette has been giving me nothing but trouble, think I've been fixing more than driving it. I had the rear rebuilt, the day i got it back, brakes didn't work. I fixed the brakes, and the battery went, put an optima in. then i threw the cover on it for the winter. Took off the cover a month ago, washed her up, tried to start it batteries dead, engine turned but then died. So i let it sit for a month because of financial issues. I bought a battery today, put it in and NOTHING, wont turn, no electrical at all. put the negative on the block, still nothing. ground seems OK. i cant find where the positive terminal goes, under the center console? any ideas to fix my problem. i have 2 weeks till hot rod weekend in OC md, and i cant go again with out my car.

 

[waterboy1976]

Did you test the "new" battery? It still sounds like a battery issue if you have nothing when you turn the key. Never leave the battery hooked up over winter.....the parasitic drains will kill even a new one...

 

[corvetjerryd]

Automatic or 4 spd??? check the safety switchs... then use a DMmeter/test light to see if you have 12 volts at the large terminal on the starter with the key on and check power to + side of the coil too.....Then just back track to fiqure out where your losin' it.....Good luck.. those electrical problems are a pain...I also bought an optima redtop that didn't want keep a charge and I put it on the battery charger for 10 hrs, fix it or fry it approch, and now its working great.....

 

[srs244]

the battery positive goes directly to the hot stud on the starter solenoid and power is transfered to the entire system from that point through 2 fusable links that are also connected to the same hot terminal. one of the fusable links goes directly to the headlamp switch, the other to the fusebox to feed the remainder of the car's electrical systems (granted that is a gross oversimpification, but it is accurate for tracing purposes). when you turn the key, the starter switch at the base of the steering column passes current through the neutral lockout switch (either on the clutch pedal assembly on a 4 speed, or at the shifter on an automatic) to the starter solenoid to power it and activate the starter motor itself.

if the battery is good (a simple check with a meter will determine if there is enough of a charge in it), when you turn the key, the gauges should "activate" (the volt meter will jump to the 13 volt range and the fuel gauge should move to indicate fuel level). if the gauges do not activate and you have a good battery, the first thing to check is the power at the neutral lock out switch. if present, then you need to check power at the solenoid. you might want to make certain the the connection from the starter solenoid harness hasn't worked loose from it's connection to the main harness. the connector should be on the passenger side of the firewall, approximately behind the valve cover toward the distributor.

you should also consider a battery tender if you are going to put your car up for extended periods of time. they are micro circuited and will not cook your battery, but will maintain a proper charge level and then shut off until the charge drops below a certain preset minimum when they will kick on again. they employ a very low rate of charge to protect the battery while maintaining it.

hope some of this will help.


steve