The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Starting Problem

I've searched old posts but can't find my problem.
First I'll tell you what I have,350,HEI, tilt colum with the switch in it.
I went to start it the other day,cranked over,wouldn't fire.When I let go of the key,it stumbled and stalled.I tryed again,when I let go of the key it fired and ran.I shut it off and tryed again,same thing.
Tonight I had time to polk around.I disconnected the wire from the HEI,put a test light on it.Turn on the switch,got a light,turned the key the light go's out.Let go ,light comes back on.As a test I connected a jumper wire from battery to the HEI,tryed to start,YUP fired right up.Wouldn't shut off of coarse.Here's the question.Is it the switch?Should I run a new switched controlled wire to the HEI?If so should it be fused and what gauge?Thanks in advance, Boyd

BC52,

Do you have some type of bypass circuit running through the 'R' terminal of the starter. It sure sounds like a START/RUN problem.

Although the HEI (GM) wants full voltage all the time, maybe your rig is wired to power the ignition through the solenoid relay during START and through the keyswitch during RUN.

If this were the case, it we more apt to be the contacts in the starter solenoid or wires than the keyswitch.

I don't know how your rig is wired and I'm vague when you say 'turn on the switch' then say 'turn on the key' so maybe I'm out in left field.

What you are describing is that the engine will only fire when the key flips back to the RUN position..is this right.

Stuart

Sorry Stuart.I should have read my own post,but yes you said it exactly,The engine will fire when the key flips back to Run

BC52,

Is your HEI a GM style. This style starts and runs on full voltage, so whatever wiring method is using a START/RUN circuit that seems to be failing, isn't necessary. I'm not sure what this would be...either the keyswitch or solenoid relay, but it should/could be jumped around or rewired to negate it.

I wonder if the ignition module is going bad and won't function properly when the starter is drawing the battery down a bit. I'm out of my league...maybe someone else will come along with the answer.

Did it just start doing this?

Stuart

Yes it's GM HEI,and yes it just started doing this,thanks for your input
Boyd

Boyd,

If you get a chance, I would see if there is a wire attached to the little terminal on the starter solenoid marked 'R'. There should be two terminals with wires attached...one should be 'S' and the other 'R'. The wires must be tight and not broken.

Because you have a modern tilt column with integral keyswitch, there might be switching going on inside the switch, without the need for the solenoid 'R' terminal. Finding something attached to the 'R' terminal of the solenoid would narrow the search for the culprit.

Because you already used a bulb and found power present at the ignition when the key switch was on RUN but nothing when the switch was turned to START, you have found the problem, now you only need to find the cause of the problem.


Stuart

Here is what I found
1/the wire going to the HEI should be 12gauge,mine was no where near that,I gave up trying to find where the wire went
2/I ran a new 12gauge wire,controlled by the switch to the HEI,problem solved
Thanks for your help,Stuart

Hooray for the new wire...good job!


Stuart

You were probably connected to the accessory wire, not the ignition terminal. The ACC terminal turns off in the start position to keep things like the air conditioning compressor from operating during starting. The IGN terminal stays hot in both start and run positions.
Jerry