I tried starting my 1970 144s yesterday. It turnd over about four or five times and then evry thing like the dash lights and all died and the starter stoped truning. I charged the battery over night and tried again this morning and there was nothing, no dash lites, no radio and no head lights. Has anyone ever had this happen to them?

Thanks
Ruben in so cal

Bad connection where the battery cable meets the starter. Bad cable. Bad ground strap connection.

If the battery charges, I can't think of any other possibilities. ???

I had exactly the same happen to me three weeks ago with my ML500 Merc. I'd started it a dozen times through the day and then it was just flat as a tack. Couln't even raise much of a spark trying to short across the battery terminals with a wire. I charged it overnight, but to no avail. New battery and all was fine.

A few years ago, similar problem but this time it was internal corrosion in the earth strap. The battery was fully charged, I'd cleaned all the terminals incl the ground, but there was so much corrsion inside the earth strap that it wouldn't turn over.

Whatever your problem is, I think you'll find it pretty easy to solve with what the others have suggested.

There are a few ways the battery can die. One is that a cell got dry and the plates bent, shorting out. Another is bits of metal growing from 1 plate to the other, eventually shorting out the cell. This is more common when you've got dirty water in it, as the ions need something solid to grow around. A friend bought a battery once and was presented with an empty one. The shop assistant asked if he wanted the cheap model or the expensive model. The difference was in which bottle of acid he poured into the battery...

That's pretty weird, since battery acid is VERY cheap.

Normally the difference is in the weight and surface area of the plates in
the battery and the quality of the insulating material between them.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

I agree, I've had identical issues on Chevs, VWs and one Volvo - in each case due to bad connections at the battery or a bad ground. If you charged the battery in the car and didn't do anything with the battery terminal connections then suspect them first - that's the connection that is most prone to rapid deterioration. Clean & reinstall terminals. Also check for wiring deterioration where the cables enter the battery terminal connectors.
-Chris

Yup..Check main connections first. could also be a battery gone extremely bad. Had that happen a time or two.

--
-Matt '70 145s, '65 1800s, '66 122s wagon, others inc. '53 XK120 FHC