Can't catch a break - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

D-rock1981 · 06-11-2015, 08:45 PM

I was supposed to go get some new rims and tires for the truck, but alas, something is wrong again. The truck barely turns over, it was working fine till I put a new steering column and some suspension pieces in. New battery, cables are less then a year old, and starter is about 6 months old. Got fed up, said some nasty things, you know the drill. So now I will have to do a voltage drop test tomorrow when I bring my power probe home from work. If it's not one thing it's another.

**Jurassic-1** · 06-11-2015, 09:45 PM

I had a similar issue with the neighbors 68 Firebird it would try to crank then would not. put a booster on it. It would start then nothing after changing solenoids and checking wires 3 hours later I wiggled the battery terminal on the brand new cable and the molded end was bad. I wiggled it out about 1/4 inch and it turns over like crazy. Turns out new cable is defective.

D-rock1981 · 06-11-2015, 09:50 PM

I have a feeling in might be cable too. There both new, but I did get them from autozone. I will probably go get some welding cable and make new ones just for the piece of mind if nothing else!

D-rock1981 · 06-11-2015, 10:30 PM

Ok. So I just remembered I broke my engine ground strap when I was installing my sway bar�� completely forgot about it.

**Jurassic-1** · 06-11-2015, 11:30 PM

Check voltage at the starter. Where is the Negative cable grounded?

D-rock1981 · 06-11-2015, 11:42 PM

Negative is grounded to frame. Pretty sure is my broken engine to chassis ground strap. I'll put a new one on Saturday and try again

**Jurassic-1** · 06-12-2015, 12:07 AM

Yes that may be it. Usually I ground to the engine and use aux ground straps on valve covers and a large one to the frame.

mrdurden · 06-12-2015, 12:12 AM

Hopefully it's just the ground strap...good luck.

GASoline71 · 06-12-2015, 12:26 PM

Ground your battery to the engine. Not the frame.

Make sure your ground straps from the frame are connected to the engine.

Gary

D-rock1981 · 06-12-2015, 02:26 PM

Engine ground strap fixed it.

**michael bustamante** · 06-12-2015, 02:29 PM

good deal

mrdurden · 06-12-2015, 07:41 PM

Great! Now you can get those new wheels and tires...right on!

**special-K** · 06-12-2015, 09:33 PM

You did catch a break after all!

franken · 06-12-2015, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D-rock1981

Negative is grounded to frame. Pretty sure is my broken engine to chassis ground strap. I'll put a new one on Saturday and try again

Not to beat a dead horse, or to beat a still not dead electrical fallacy, regardless of what GM did, the battery should be grounded to the block via the big - cable, and the starter powered directly by the big + cable.
The only purpose of those big cables is to power the starter while cranking.

**Jurassic-1** · 06-13-2015, 10:25 AM

I agree I also added a woven large sized ground strap and attached it from the motor mount bolts to the frame it is clean looking and requires a 6-8 inch strap. Glad to hear yo found the problem.

D-rock1981 · 06-13-2015, 10:31 AM

I have it to the frame and an equal size cable coming from the same ground point to the engine.

06-11-2015, 08:45 PM	#1
D-rock1981 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Denver, co Posts: 66	Can't catch a break I was supposed to go get some new rims and tires for the truck, but alas, something is wrong again. The truck barely turns over, it was working fine till I put a new steering column and some suspension pieces in. New battery, cables are less then a year old, and starter is about 6 months old. Got fed up, said some nasty things, you know the drill. So now I will have to do a voltage drop test tomorrow when I bring my power probe home from work. If it's not one thing it's another.

06-11-2015, 09:45 PM	#2
Jurassic-1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New River Arizona Posts: 1,180	Re: Can't catch a break I had a similar issue with the neighbors 68 Firebird it would try to crank then would not. put a booster on it. It would start then nothing after changing solenoids and checking wires 3 hours later I wiggled the battery terminal on the brand new cable and the molded end was bad. I wiggled it out about 1/4 inch and it turns over like crazy. Turns out new cable is defective.

06-11-2015, 09:50 PM	#3
D-rock1981 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Denver, co Posts: 66	Re: Can't catch a break I have a feeling in might be cable too. There both new, but I did get them from autozone. I will probably go get some welding cable and make new ones just for the piece of mind if nothing else!

06-11-2015, 10:30 PM	#4
D-rock1981 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Denver, co Posts: 66	Re: Can't catch a break Ok. So I just remembered I broke my engine ground strap when I was installing my sway bar�� completely forgot about it.

06-11-2015, 11:30 PM	#5
Jurassic-1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New River Arizona Posts: 1,180	Re: Can't catch a break Check voltage at the starter. Where is the Negative cable grounded?

06-11-2015, 11:42 PM	#6
D-rock1981 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Denver, co Posts: 66	Re: Can't catch a break Negative is grounded to frame. Pretty sure is my broken engine to chassis ground strap. I'll put a new one on Saturday and try again

06-12-2015, 12:07 AM	#7
Jurassic-1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New River Arizona Posts: 1,180	Re: Can't catch a break Yes that may be it. Usually I ground to the engine and use aux ground straps on valve covers and a large one to the frame.

06-12-2015, 12:12 AM	#8
mrdurden Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Rio Rancho, NM Posts: 92	Re: Can't catch a break Hopefully it's just the ground strap...good luck. __________________ '67 2wd LWB Fleetside '71 4wd LWB Fleetside

06-12-2015, 02:26 PM	#10
D-rock1981 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Denver, co Posts: 66	Re: Can't catch a break Engine ground strap fixed it.

06-12-2015, 02:29 PM	#11
michael bustamante Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 7,862	Re: Can't catch a break good deal __________________ 1967custom

06-12-2015, 07:41 PM	#12
mrdurden Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Rio Rancho, NM Posts: 92	Re: Can't catch a break Great! Now you can get those new wheels and tires...right on! __________________ '67 2wd LWB Fleetside '71 4wd LWB Fleetside

06-12-2015, 09:33 PM	#13
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,851	Re: Can't catch a break You did catch a break after all! __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

06-13-2015, 10:25 AM	#15
Jurassic-1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New River Arizona Posts: 1,180	Re: Can't catch a break I agree I also added a woven large sized ground strap and attached it from the motor mount bolts to the frame it is clean looking and requires a 6-8 inch strap. Glad to hear yo found the problem.

06-13-2015, 10:31 AM	#16
D-rock1981 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Denver, co Posts: 66	Re: Can't catch a break I have it to the frame and an equal size cable coming from the same ground point to the engine.



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