66 wont crank, acts like battery is dead

89lx2.3

Founding Member
Oct 9, 2000
316
0
16
Hagerstown, MD
Hi, I have a 66 200 coupe that i was trying to get to crank and everytime I try it just clicks/grinds like the battery is dead. This is even when hooked up to a charger with a 55 amp quick start setting. At first I thought it was the starter so I got a new one and that didnt help, then i changed out the relay and that made no difference either. From looking at a few diagrams it seems like all the wiring is hooked up correctly. I havent pulled apart the dash yet to look at any of that. I know some of the circuits are functioning properly (wipers, flashers, ignition at least somewhat) but none of the interior or dash(gauge cluster) lights come on and the blower switch doesnt do anything either. What else can I check that may be the problem? the engine does crank by hand so i know its not seized.

thanks...greg
 
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Have you replaced the volt. reg.? Is your car a manual or auto (now and originally) It's possiable that it could be the volt reg, but since some of your other electrical acc. work, it would not be too likly (but still a good idea to replace it none the less). Why it won't start after you replaced the relay and starter is puzzling. The clicking noise you hear is the relay closing, so it's sounds like it works, but you still can't be sure. What I would try is getting a piece of wire (about 6" long) and a screw driver. Connect the wire on the "I" post on your stater relay and also to the post were the + side of the battery hooks up too. Now, take the screw driver and use it to jump from the + side post on the starter relay to the "S" post and see if it cranks and fires up. If it does fire up, then make sure to take the screw driver off when it does. Another possiably is that your ignition switch is bad, so test it to make sure. Test your starter as well. Just because it's new, doesn't mean it works. Let me know what happens when you try this out on your car, and if it still doesn't work then we can go from there. Now, as for some of your gauges not working; I would check to see if the little vlt. reg. on the back of your cluster is fried, as this is a common reason.

-Shaun
 
Can you pull the plugs and turn the engine by hand? If you pull them and you cant turn the engine....your engine is seized up. Your starter might be working, but just cant turn the engine.
 
ok I dont know if this helps but this is important:
My buddy just bought a bronco that was in an accident and had flopped on its side. I couldnt get it to turn over for hte life of me, even when jump starting it.
I got tired of screwing around with little stuff that i knew wasnt the problem in my case, so I swapped in a new (used) battery.....
...The problem was, that the accident had caused the battery internal damage (shorting out inside the battery).

So try and swap in a battery that you know is ok.
 
What is the best way to check your ignition switch? how much is a new one cause if its not too much i may as well go ahead and replace it. I know the grounds are OK becasue i used a voltmeter to test all the involved parts (starter, relay, regulator) and make sure they had a good ground which they all did. And while i have not tried pulling the plugs and rotating by hand i can get a socket on the crank pully and it turns freely. I will try the screwdriver/wire method and see if i get any results from that. I have hooked up a different battery and it didnt help either.

thanks for the suggestions!

oh BTW its a 3spd manual (engine and trans are original i believe)
 
I had a similiar problem with mine but its an automatic so probably won't help. It may trigger another thought somewhere so I posted anyway.

There is a sensor on the shifter which requires the trans to be in park before it would start. Took me a long time to figure that dumb thing out by I am still very much a novice. If this was at once an auto then it may make a diff - don't think that applies to manual. Check the VIN to see if it was an auto.

Sorry I couldn't be more help
 
Since it clicks at the relay, I wouldn't expect it to be in the ignition switch. If it were mine, I would check the resistance between the positive terminal on the battery cable and the relay's power side. Sounds like you have insufficient power.
 
Ok did some checkin and found a wire that is in the bundle that goes from the relay / alternator area over to the regulator that is fried. its all wrapped up so im trying to figure out which one it is... looks like its probably a ground. before i found it i poked around with my voltmeter and it looks like there is definantally a short somewhere.