electrcal issue... i think.

[Robotin]

ive been posting on here randomly for a while. i have 1970 2002. i absolutely love this car. it has been a pain in my a$$ for the last 6 months. but i am determined to get this thing movin. i swapped another carb'd m10 with lower mileagle and a full refresh. everything is wiried up correctly (from what i can see).

recap: lower mileage motor. wired in.

when i go to turn the car on. it wil crank once. and then nothing.

it sounds like it doesnt have enough enough juice. my batery is old. but when i used my friends brand new battery. same thing. one crank. then nothing.

i checked through the wiring harness and have not found any frayed wires. i have been retracing my steps. going back to square 1. and will continue to double and triple check all of my steps.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Tommy]

Did you remember engine ground cable?

Tommy

[c.d.iesel]

you used the same BAD starter motor that was on the old motor

on the new motor

[Stevenc22]

Agreed. See if you can push start the car. If you can, starter is the problem.

[Robotin]

The engine I bought came with a starter, and a transmission. Before I wasn't getting anything. And then I swapped over my old starter. And now I get a a single half crank.

Where is the engine main ground?

[Stevenc22]

Drivers side, below the front of the starter

[Kpeters]

Definitively check the engine grounds if not always make sure the engine turns freely. If those 2 are alright then replace the starter. Been there my starter was bad.

[Robotin]

i already replaced the starter that came with the engine. im using the one from my running motor. and like i said. im getting little half cranks. i can see it turn slightly, then nothing.

but i will double check my starter.

i seem to be having a little trouble finding the main ground.

any one have a good explaination where it could it? or picture?

sorry for being difficult.

this car has been tampered with heavily and is no where near stock. but this car was modified extremely in al the wrong places. trying to get it back to a suitable place.

[Preyupy]

you need a wire from the negative side of the battery to the engine block at least as big as the positive wire to the starter. you also need a wire to the chassis from either the battery or the block to ground the rest of the car.

[Simeon]

Test it out by attaching a jump lead between the engine and the battery negative terminal. If that sorts you out it is definitely the ground.

That should be located between the starter bracket and the battery tray but as you point out the engine may have been molested over the years. If it is there disconnect and clean the ends and then coat with copper anti seize grease before refitting. If it isn't then just attach a replacement cable or braid lead between any handy bolted connection on the block and the bodywork.

[jimk]

When you get the grounds worked out, spin it over with the starter w/o spark plugs installed. It may need a little exercising. It will also tell a lot about havint or not having something in a cylinder.

[Hans]

I think a missing ground strap would have created smoke under the hood by now. If it turns with plugs out, but still does that, check timing too.

[Robotin]

My ground wire from the battery has 2 long braided cables from it. 1 is much thicker than the other. Problem is. The thinner 1 is too short to reach to the block. But the thicker 1 is much longer than the thinner. Would it wise to locate the thicker braid to the block?

I am in the garage with the car as I type this.

Or should I just relocate the body ground to closer position?

[Robotin]

My ground wire from the battery has 2 long braided cables from it. 1 is much thicker than the other. Problem is. The thinner 1 is too short to reach to the block. But the thicker 1 is much longer than the thinner. Would it wise to locate the thicker braid to the block?

I am in the garage with the car as I type this.

Or should I just relocate the body ground to closer position?

[Simeon]

That is the standard battery cable / ground arrangement.

Connect the thick braid to the block and the thin to the body. While you are at it, check that you have a heavy gauge brown wire between the alternator body and the engine (another ground).