71 Skylark electrical problems

[out2sea_67]

Hello I'm Dave and this is my first post. I'm having a serious electrical problem. When I try top start the car nothing happens. Prior to trying to start the buzzer, dome light, radio and fan works. After trying to start, nothing works including headlights, gauges and idiot lights. I have replaced the battery and altenator (at the same time) with limited sucsess. The car started fine about a half dozen times and then acted up again. Yesterday i put in a new starter, cleaned the terminals and checked the battery ground. No start. Please help. Thanks. Dave

[Madcat455]

350 or 6 cyl...

When it does it, will it take a Jump start??? Check your wires on the terminal of the starter. Pay close attention to the two red wires that are also on with the Main POS battery cable. Those supply power to the fuse box. If one or both are loosing contact, or have breaks in them that will kill power to the fuse box, making it like you're not turning the key.

When it did it after you replaced the batt & Alt.... did you check to see if the battery was dead (Volt meater the batt. terminals to see how much voltage was left)?? If the battery is still dead..... Did you also replace the voltage regulator along with the Alt. (Or have you converted your alt to an internally regulated alt??).

Some places to start.

[bfrazee]

I'm not too good at electric problem diagnosis, but I have a 71 Skylark, and I've had to replace the voltage regulator twice. It's mounted on the firewall toward the passenger side. If it gets dirty, that also causes problems.

[Madcat455]

After you replaced the starter, did you charge the battery before starting???

Also, Do you have Gauges or Idiot lights??? I'm curious as to how much voltage that Alt is putting out when its running.

How concerned with "originality" are you??? Might consider switching to an internally regulated alt (also has higher Amps).

When you tried to start... The accessories were working, but then stopped after you turned the key. If they didn't come back on after putting the key back into the Run position. How long till they did start to work again???

Do you have a Friend & a test light. I'd get to the Ign wire on the starter (S terminal).... Have a friend turn the key & hold it there (with the wire removed from the starter).... see if the test light lights up (do this when its not starting). Also, while you're down there.... Touch the light to the POS cable terminal on the starter to make sure Juice is making it to the starter.

Good Luck... Let me know what you find out.


Basically need to see if the problem is with the Main power to the starter (POS Battery cable), or the Wire comming from the Key. Test light will tell you right where the prob is.

[out2sea_67]

Thanks to all who replied. Here's what I've done so far. I removed the ground wire and took off the terminal and cleaned it up, I was reading 0 ohms on the meter so I put it back on. Someone else suggested checking the voltage at the starter and something always on in the fusebox. I had 10 vdc at the starter and 6.4 vdc at the fusebox. I put in a fresh battery and it started right up. I haven't added a second ground yet but it a good idea.

I think there may be another problem. Possibly the voltage regulator. With the car running I was checking the battery voltage and it was 26.5 vdc, as I held the meter it climbed to almost 29 vdc. I thought this was wrong but I checked the voltage on my 2003 Monte Carlo and read around 22.4 vdc and it climbed to almost 27vdc. Any ideas. Thanks for the other advice I'm sure it helped.

If the voltage regulator is not internal what does the one on the firewall look like? Does it have four terminals on top of each other like an "I" next to the A/C unit? Thanks for any added assistance. Dave

ps. It's a 350 w/A/C. it has idiot lights, not over concerned with "originality".

[Madcat455]

Voltage regulator is a black box on the firewall somwhere by the AC... it will have a Capacitor comming off of it on the right. Has a harness that plugs into the bottom (can't rember how many wires.. sorry).

I searched another Buick site & found that volt. output should be 15.5-18 max.

I don't see how that would cause a no start issue though... If the alt is putting out more than enough voltage..... Unless its frying the battery maybe. I don't know. Have you had any of the batteries checked after the problem happened. Disc. auto or Autozone will load test them for nothing.


http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.ph...tage+regulator

Scroll down to the pic... Box on the firewall just behind the air cleaner is the Volt. regulator.

I don't seem to be able to post pic's here... so just follow the link.


Good Luck.

EDIT...

Found another link to Volt. Reg. issues....

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=59281

[out2sea_67]

Correction to my last post. I was getting bad readings on my meter cause the battery was low in my meter. Now I'm reading 12.5 vdc with the car off and 13.2 vdc while running. These look good to me but I'm gonna keep my eye on it. That picture of the regulator helped now I know where it is. Thanks to all

[trj266]

New batteries in the meter is a big start, but the next thing to do is try to find a chilton's manual for that car, it'll tell you where any fusible links and stuff are. It sounds like your old battery had a bad cell in it. I'm curious to see if the car has any more trouble, the thing about upgrading the alternator is a good idea, another thing you may look into is an aftermarket electronic ignition. Tom '72 Skylark 350