I'd like to be pointed in the right direction on my starting problem.

71 dart swinger /6

Turn the key and car fires right up usually several times in a row no problem. Then it will randomly just not fire at all, just completely non-responsive when I turn the key I get nothing.

My temporary fix has been to un-hook the battery and then re-connect it - most times it seems to correct the problem for a few more starts. For some reason I'm thinking cylinoid since I had a similar type of problem with a different car a million years ago back in high school.

guidance please...

Thanks!

Bad wires or ground, solenoid could be bad, if you have automatic transmission you could have a bad neutral switch/relay.

If it isn't to random you could remove the starter and see if it happens with it loose, in that case the problem is in the starter/solenoid.

Thanks!

Sounds like you have a loose or corroded connection somewhere.

I just went through, essentially the same thing. Mine turned out to be either the starter relay or the neutral safety switch. I'm totally sure because I worked on both of them at the same time.

If your car is an automatic, get under the car and look for neutral safety switch plug on the driver's side of the transmission. On my 76 model, it's a round plug. Pull it off and take a wire brush to the exposed plug prongs, then plug the connector back in and try to fire it up. If the prongs/pins are corroded enough, the car "thinks" that it's not in Park and is preventing itsef from sending the power needed to the starter to crank the engine.

If that doesn't cure it, it might be the relay. You can test the relay fairly simply, but I just went ahead and replaced mine since it was only $12 at the parts house.

If not either of these, it could also be any of the various grounding straps/cables or battery connections. If you're not getting full current due to a loose or corroded connection, you could potentially get the symptoms you're describing.

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

Thanks for this info, I will try this!

Just one more thing it could be would be the ignition switch, if everything else is ok,..............had it happen to me more than once.......you know the switches get a lot of wear after 40 so + years.
best regards
MaX

_________________
1966 barracuda 360
1964 signet conv. 170 turbo
Bonneville or Bust 2012

Max,
Sounds good. I ordered the starter relay and the neutral safety switch this morning from rock auto. I'll get those in and take it from there.

Thanks again!
Darcy

I had the same problem last week. All the info you have gotten is good and works. I had other problems and the "check the grounds and connections" is real good advice.

One thing I can add is when I crossed the solenoid with a screwdriver ON the solenoid terminals, I got nothing and thought it was the starter or solenoid. When I crossed the same circuit back at the relay I got a working starter. I'm not sure why that happened, I'm just glad I didn't pull the starter for a rebuild. It turned out to be a bad relay and I got a NAPA for $24 and they did have the $15 one but I had heard that the cheaper NAPA ones were not that good.

NAPA is probably more expensive but my NAPA guy is a local family man and helps me with stupid stuff like tracking down car parts for $2.50 that will swap with a $25.00 Harley part, and he gives me stuff that he can't really sell but thinks will still work and it usually does. I don't mind paying a little more for the human factor.