HELP Needed - Car won't Start

[Red73BB]

Started to drive the '73 to work this morning.... She running, sounding good, when I turn the lights on, they popup and the car dies. Now she won't start. When I turn the key, nothing... no sounds, nothing. Just like a dead battery, I think the battery is good.
What is the connection between the vacuum popup lights and the starter.... any???
She now sitting in the driveway, can't even get her back into the garage.

Please Help.
Gary

 

[Red73BB]

anyone???

 

[dmrodco]

Might want to check the fusable link that supplys power for the car. The terminal block sometimes gets dirty and this builds contact resistance which can lead to the link burning up. put a ohm meter on it and check for opens. start by checking all the power to starter ect..... you will find your problem soon enough when you don't find B+ when there should be some you will have found it. Its a long drawn out process and can be frustrating. good luck

 

[Red73BB]

Thanks, I will check with an Ohm meter

Gary

 

[KenSny]

Could also be a bad connection from the battery. When you turned on the lights it caused an extra load. Check for corrosion or loose cables between the battery and the starter. All the ground straps there also.

 

[BLACK MOON]

Sounds like a loose connection at the starter or a bad ground. Retighten all battery and starter connections and retry. You might want to try jumping it at the starter solenoid as well.

 

[Red76Vette]

Try this

This is kind of a far stretch but I had a neutral safety switch go out on me that could also cause this problem. Try to start it in neutral or jump the switch and see if it starts.

Late,
Chuck

 

[Red73BB]

Well it did it again. Yesterday the car started up with no problem, I when for a half hour drive, still ran OK. After I had her in the garage, I turn on the lights, the lights started to popup and the car died. Would not re-start. I don't see the connection between the two, but there is one some place.
Gary

 

[Red76Vette]

Sorry my mistake it is not the neutral safety switch. I don’t see how it could be a bad connection or your alternator or battery is going out on you. when you turn on the lights it takes a lot of power away but once the car is started that shouldn’t matter with my 76 I had my battery go completely dead and car ran fine once it was started. When I took it to the shop to have my battery charged up they said that it was completely dead I couldn’t even get my windows up. I don’t know what it could be it doesn’t make any since at all.

Late,
Chuck

 

[warren s]

Check the output from the alternator, if the battery is not getting charged, adding an additional load when the lights come on may be draining the electrical system to the point where there is not enought curent for the ignition system, and stalling out the motor. When the car stalls the battery re-charges slightly.

Another thought is maybe the headlights are touching somthing that is shorting out when they pop up, like moving a hot wire to an exposed ground.

 

[Debber]

What's up,
You probably have a short to ground on the headlights. When you turn them on they draw way too much current. That can be the only problem. Try hooking up a volt or ahmeter to the battery while you are driving the car, then turn on the lights. You should get a huge drop in amps. If this happens you have a major short somewhere. Give it a try.



Debber