This is a strange one

[Pa Goose]

Went out to start the car to warm up before the drive to work this morning and when I turned the key I heard a click and everything went dead. While checking the cables everything came back on, turned the key and everything went dead again. Started to get out and power came back, turned the key and everything went dead again. By this time I am getting frustraited. Started to get out of the car and power came back. Wiggled the cables and still had power. Turned the key and no power. AAARRRGGGGGHHHHHHH! :bash:W:bash
So I called into work while I was still somewhat calm.
I went thru the schematics and couldn't find anything that would account for this.
SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!
battery cables/connections
ignition switch
clutch safety switch
mouse

 

[gmjunkie]

Went out to start the car to warm up before the drive to work this morning and when I turned the key I heard a click and everything went dead. While checking the cables everything came back on, turned the key and everything went dead again. Started to get out and power came back, turned the key and everything went dead again. By this time I am getting frustraited. Started to get out of the car and power came back. Wiggled the cables and still had power. Turned the key and no power. AAARRRGGGGGHHHHHHH! :bash:W:bash
So I called into work while I was still somewhat calm.
I went thru the schematics and couldn't find anything that would account for this.
SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!
battery cables/connections
ignition switch
clutch safety switch
mouse

Clean the battery cables and terminal's!!! And hook them back up and make sure there tight!!

 

[Yoda]

See Response in the L81VetteRegistry Forum

Bud

 

[Bill75]

I had a similar experience and found that one of the battery terminal on the cable was defective. Even though it was clean and tight the inner sleeve was loose where the bolt goes thru and the bolt never really tightened it good to the terminal. I could move the terminal on the cable even though the center bolt was tight.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Ditto on the battery connections.
I met a nice lady in an 81 at a gas station one time, and she had the same problem. I was a greasy mess by the time I finally figured out it was the battery connection, that her son had replaced the week before but not tightened the two bolts enough.

 

[jdp6000]

Went out to start the car to warm up before the drive to work this morning and when I turned the key I heard a click and everything went dead. While checking the cables everything came back on, turned the key and everything went dead again. Started to get out and power came back, turned the key and everything went dead again. By this time I am getting frustraited. Started to get out of the car and power came back. Wiggled the cables and still had power. Turned the key and no power. AAARRRGGGGGHHHHHHH! :bash:W:bash
So I called into work while I was still somewhat calm.
I went thru the schematics and couldn't find anything that would account for this.
SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!
battery cables/connections
ignition switch
clutch safety switch
mouse

Its a loose connection most likely but not necessarily on the battery. I would also check the wires at the starter.

Jim

 

[Koop]

My wifes car did that a few months back. The battery had a short in it. If it ain't the cables, try a new battery before you beat yourself up.

 

[pat72]

My problem was a bad ground wire the one from the battery through the floor under the car and bolted on to the frame I changed it and never had aproblem again, good luck Pat

 

[zachh]

I had the same problem on my firebird. It turned out that it was a problem within the starter. I guess it wasnt grounding out to the block like it should of, or there was an internal short.

 

[raybies]

My 1980 vette is a grounding nitemare, all of my problems have turned out to be associated with a ground issue. In your case goose I would look to the starter side of things pending you have cleaned the battery connections and still have the issue. The starter may be loose on the block or the solenoid may be shorting. Either way what i would do is hook up a remote starter button to the starter and visually from under the car look for arcing when you hit the button and even if there's not an arc you usually can hear the point at which the failed connection is taking place. And P.S. you dont need to have the key in the on position you only want to try and crank the car for the test not have it start.

 

[zachh]

there also should be a fusable link on the wire that goes down tro the starter solenoid. I believe it is a red wire, but im not sure. If that is partially blown, that might be your issue. There is also a link on another wire that bolts to a starter post, i'd check that too. I beleive that is a brown wire, but im not 100% sure on that either.
best wishes
zachh