Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

'30 Coupe. New wiring, altenator, amp meter, coil and battery. Drove perfectly just a couple months ago, now not getting anything electrical! Safety fuse good. Horn and lights work every now and then. Won't crank at all! Starter doesn't even engage. I'm at my wits end. Could bad points be the culprit? Acts as if no electrical power at all.

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

Bad ground? I think 98% of the electrical problems I've had over the years have been bad grounds.

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

The first thing is to check the battery. Cables and all connections. Do you have 6.3 volts or more on the battery? Do we have 6.3 volts at the starter cable on the switch? Are the cells full of water? Did we do a hydrometer test. Batterys can have 6 volts and still not be good. Check these things first, then if thats okay, follow the flow of electricity though out the rest of the circuit. Disconnect the fuse block for test purposes. They are known to not be the best made items. Vibrations causes loose contact and all sort of things seem to be wrong.

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

You need to get a volt meter and a wireing schematic( like on page 92 in Brattons catalog), and start with battery voltage, and go from there. Are you battery connections clean(post & clamp?) is your ground cable the same, some times old cables have hard to see corrosion, that would act the way you describe. Chuck

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

Thanks guys for your suggestions. I may replace my battery disconnect switch and see how it goes from there. All your other suggestions all check out ok.

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

If you want to eliminate the disconnect just hook both wires to one stud and test.

Bob

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

Thks Bob, I will try that. I only thought about changing it because it's a cheaper plastic version and it feels as though it may be broken inside. That may be my mystery electrical problem

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

I'm bettin that it!!

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

Please let us know what you find.

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

For sure, it's not the points.

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

Regarding the battery cutoff switch, there was an article in the February 2013 Skinned Knuckles magazine about that exact problem. The cutoff is the one that mounts on a battery terminal and has a green plastic handle. Evidently there was a poor contact causing heat to impact how the bolt contacted the parts. The author had to make some changes to the bolt to make it work again so don't assume this part is foolproof.

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

An update guys. I replaced the battery disconnect switch, put new battery cables on and cleaned the crossmember where ground strap goes. Put new bolt on ground strap. Fired right up! Thanks for all your help!

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

Check the gounds in the car.

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

I think you should check the grounds on the car.

Was this said already?

Joe K

Re: Electrical Driving me crazy!!
 

POST # 12 SAYS IT'S FIXED ! ! ! !

Paul in CT