454 no start help!

[Hotrodrobert]

There are no dumb questions, just dumb answers. Ignorance can easily be cured!!
Check the battery voltage with the meter then check it at the battery while someone turns the key to start and tell us what you get. This will tell us if you have a good circuit.

[1LowToy]

You say you replaced the battery cables. Hoping you didn't buy too small of cables. That will make it turn over slow and burn the starter up.

[UBLUZIN]

Yes the cables are replaced. But there thick i forget the size..

[UBLUZIN]

Ok, A little work this morn. I checked batt voltage and had 12.5v at batt and starter. I hooked a starter button up and check volts at starter when cranking, it went down, my DVOM was coming up with a couple numbers but i think i saw .55v..? When i hit the starter button i can see the crank turn, just very slowly if at all. Most the time the starter just clicks. Im pretty sure its not locked up in any way as i can turn it with a ratchet. All this testing was done without a ignition switch hooked up. I have the battery on charge now, After the testing i had around 11.5-7 batt volts, which should still be enough to crank...Im thinking maybe a neutral safety switch? How can i check that?

[Hotrodrobert]

Either your battery really sucks or you have issues with connections.
Check the voltage at the battery posts when starting. If the voltage goes to less than 8.5 volts you have a bad battery, if the voltage there stays up, it IS in the cables or connections.

[UBLUZIN]

I had the batt checked it was ok. I even tried another batt. Connections to the starter?..

[Hotrodrobert]

Same procedure. Test at the battery posts first. I don't care who/how the battery was tested, if the voltage goes to less than a volt, the battery is bad period. If it was not bad, the cables would melt.
If the bat voltage is good while starting, go to the next connection and test until you find the one where the big difference is. There is your problem.

[UBLUZIN]

Ok i tried that the batt went to 11v. I looked at my wire diagram and saw the purple wire that comes out of the neutral safety switch to the starter. I checked that and only have 8v when trying to start. I have 12v going to the NS switch. Is there a way to bypass the NS switch? Just to see if it starts?

[Hotrodrobert]

Use a remote starter switch or just jump from the purple wire at the starter to the battery cable or battery + using a 12ga or larger wire. Repeat voltage check.

[UBLUZIN]

So i took all the plugs out except one, couldn't get the socket on the plug to take it out... I put a remote starter on and it turns over, but slow. Batt volts is 12.5, cranking is 9ish. I tried a second batt and its the same. I have 12.5v at the batt, frame ( were my ground is), engine and the starter...I had the battery hooked up to a charger the whole time.

[Your41Plague12]

Here is a little link to help with the troubleshooting. You should have 9.5+ volts while cranking, so that sounds to me like a weak link somewhere. Did you clean the battery terminals? It's free and can't hurt.

[UBLUZIN]

I have 12v at the starter 5v cranking. Both batt cables are new. I even tried another battery and it does the same. Im bout ready to sell it all!!!

[Hotrodrobert]

If your bat stays at 11+ volts and the starter volts drop to 9 volts then the problem is in the wiring. I would loosen and retighten every connection from the battery to the starter and from the engine to the - terminal on the battery. If the ground is connected to the alternator brace, retighten the bolts that attach the brace to the engine or move the ground temporarily to somewhere on the block or head.

[UBLUZIN]

I just dont understand how one day its fine then the next nothing... Im gonna try moving the ground..

[K 20 blazer]

I'm guessing, it could be a defective starter. This would crank slow.

[Hotrodrobert]

If it were the starter, the voltage at the bat and at the starter would still be the same. The starter is not getting enough flow or amps because of circuit problems.

[UBLUZIN]

Where should the grounds be? Off the batt to the frame, then to engine?

[Hotrodrobert]

Grounds to the frame are necessary but don't help the starter.
The ground wire originally went from the battery to the alternator brace with a smaller wire run from the battery clamp to the body.
I have seen corrosion around the contact points on the brace or paint under the contact points that cause problems like yours.
Check voltage while starting from the starter CASE to the ground post on the battery. Should be very near zero.

[UBLUZIN]

I only have one ground from the batt going to the frame... Been fine for the 6 mounths i had it..

[customisaak]

I've experienced this many times, I twist wrenches for a living, I agree with a bad connection. Ive seen perfect looking side post terminals at the battery completely corroded out inside. check those voltage drops check the voltage between the starter bolt and battery bolt, while getting someone to crank, and then do the ground circuit a very low number is what you want .5 volts is almost too high, you're checking the "resistance" of the wire in series here. Good luck, sorry if my explanation is not the best, I never was great at that lol
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[Hotrodrobert]

Originally Posted by UBLUZIN

I only have one ground from the batt going to the frame... Been fine for the 6 mounths i had it..

That is almost certainly your problem!!!
Something that is not supposed to carry the electrical load has been working as the ground to the chassis from the engine like the speedometer cable maybe and it can't do it anymore.
GROUND THE BATTERY DIRECTLY TO THE ENGINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then run a ground from the engine to the body. The chassis doesn't need much ground. The biggest by far load is the starter so that needs the biggest circuit.
You may find latter that something has suffered from too much current and it may be anything from speedo cables, other smaller wires or even shifter linkage.

[UBLUZIN]

But why would it be fine for the 6 months ive owend it then all of a sudden nothing?

[Hotrodrobert]

Whatever was carrying the electrical load finally had enough or was moved not knowing that was the ground.
What do you have to loose to try it??
Just run the ground cable from the battery to the engine or add a ground cable-not just a wire- from the cable bolt to the engine and see what happens.

[rwhit57]

Originally Posted by Hotrodrobert

Whatever was carrying the electrical load finally had enough or was moved not knowing that was the ground.
What do you have to loose to try it??
Just run the ground cable from the battery to the engine or add a ground cable-not just a wire- from the cable bolt to the engine and see what happens.

And be sure and clean everything good to bare metal, use some sandpaper or wire brush. Paint, rust, corrosion are all resistors and will cause problems.

[Wrecked1982]

i just dont get it why u cant find it with all this help just by pass everything for testing run a good jumping cable from batt positiv to big connection on starter run a good jumping cable from batt negativ to a starter bolt and run a smaller size wire from where the ignition is hooked on the starter seleniod and put it on the batt positiv lead watch for small spark and then youll have it. if it doesnt work bad starter or mechanical ma;function . if it doenst work put it on TDC and 0 on damper take dist.cap off and check if it kinda look at the right place might give u someplace to get to