Hi all,
Finally got the car going and i ran into my first quirk. After sitting all night, it wont start in the morning. It seems as though its dead. But will fire up no problem in the afternoon. Brand new battery, it was tested and they said its fine.
Any ideas? Thanks
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Jake

6V or 12V?

If it's 6V, be sure your positive battery cable is (I believe) "O" gauge. Double check that thickness, but I think that's what it is. It's very heavy cable.

A starter cable that is for a 12V system will be thinner diameter and will not get all those 6 volt cranking amps to the starter. You will loose a lot of amperage heating up a thinner 12V cable.

Make sure your ground (negative battery cable) connections are spotless and tight too.

Make sure that every metal - to - metal connection is shiny and clean including
the ground strap between the engine and frame and where it bolts up both ends.
If that doesn't help you should check the wiring between the ignition switch and
the starter solenoid.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

The cables, even the small wires, often corrode underneath the insulation close to the terminals. Try a jump lead from the battery + to the starter main terminal. That will prove that one. Good earthing, battery to body and engine to body is critical too.

Thanks to all,
I will clean all the cables possibly this weekend if I go to the car. And I might even pick up new battery cables, these just look really old.
--
Jake

I second what everyone else said. I had a similar problem twice with mine. The first time it was a bad positive cable, the second time a bad negative cable. New cables cured it.
E.

--
'64 PVMoneypit, '74 Mercedes 450 SEL (crap mileage, but hey, it's not gonna depreciate)

Hi all,
I changed the terminals at the end of the cables and jumped the car, it started fine and drove fine for about 30 mins. Shut it down, tried to restart, and it was completely dead. Should I return my battery, does it sound like a bad battery? Voltage regulator? (it has an alternator, so the VR is inside the alt, right?) I haven't changed the complete cables however.
--
Jake

My directionals have gone out as well.
--
Jake

Update. Dropped a new battery & it started right up. Then I realized that the fan belt is so stretched that i can literally spin the fan using my pinky finger..
Glad its not my alt or starter. Thanks everyone for the help, ill let you guys know the outcome next weekend.
--
Jake

Update. Dropped a new battery & it started right up. Then I realized that the fan belt is so stretched that i can literally spin the fan using my pinky finger..
Glad its not my alt or starter. Thanks everyone for the help, ill let you guys know the outcome next weekend.
--
Jake

When you say "dead", is it the battery that seems to be dead? or the car just cranks over without firing?

Paul

The battery acts as if its dead
--
Jake