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#88914 04/30/2002 5:29 AM | Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 | Howdy All,
If anyone can help me with this, I'll sure appreciate it.
The '46 4400 has a 216, 6-volt, everything's original. It started acting up today--not wanting to start within 5 minutes of being shut off. Then, an hour later, it would start right up. Can't get groceries if it's going to act that way--any ideas??
Thanx in advance...
A great lady, a stovebolt, & a small town! What else is there?
Aspiring '54 6400 dump truck owner
'Bolt On
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#88915 04/30/2002 6:15 AM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | It could very well be the coil.With heat, the windings inside the coil can expand and separate,breaking continuity.when it cools down,the windings make contact and allow electrons to flow.
Check for voltage on each side of the coil when cold and after the no-start symptons occur.
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us.
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Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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#88916 04/30/2002 11:48 AM | Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 504 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 504 | Bolt On, Be sure to check the grounds on your battery cables. Make sure they are clean and tight. Do you have a grounding strap between the frame and the block ? Add one if yours is missing..
Bill M
53 GMC Hydra-Matic
Home Page
http://home.comcast.net/~bd97/index.html
When you argue with a fool, two fools are arguing..
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#88917 04/30/2002 2:53 PM | Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 | Thanx for the ideas.
53 4 Me--I checked the battery cables: nice and snug. I looked in the shop manual for the grounding strap between frame and block; can't find it in there and don't have a clue where to look on the truck. Can you point me at a location so I can see if it's there.
Thanx again.
A great lady, a stovebolt, & a small town! What else is there?
Aspiring '54 6400 dump truck owner
'Bolt On
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#88918 04/30/2002 4:39 PM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | Large,sometimes flat,braideg copper ground strap is usually located on the passenger side top of bell-housing and is attached to the passenger side frame rail.
Also check the wire connections at the starter.
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Does the engine still crank when hot,but not start?
You could also be having an intermittent problem with your ignition switch.Check wire connection there too.
I am still kind of suspecting the coil.
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us.
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Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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#88919 04/30/2002 5:55 PM | Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 504 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 504 | Bolt On, Here is a pic of the grounding strap on my truck. It bolts from the bell housing to the frame. A regular battery cable will do the same job. Make sure it is heavy enough. With a 6 volt system you need twice the carrying capacity. Make sure the connections are clean and tight. Good Luck. Ground Strap
Bill M
53 GMC Hydra-Matic
Home Page
http://home.comcast.net/~bd97/index.html
When you argue with a fool, two fools are arguing..
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#88920 04/30/2002 6:36 PM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | Now put a little dielectric grease on those connections and you will eliminate any corrosion/electrical problems you may have in that spot in the future.
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us.
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Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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#88921 05/01/2002 3:05 AM | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 15 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 15 | Be sure to check the point where your negative battery cable bolts to the frame. I had exactly the same symptoms you describe and chased all sorts of ideas before finding the simplest solution. Good luck. | | |
#88922 05/01/2002 4:01 AM | Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 | You all are absolutely awesome!!!!!!!
53 4 Me: Going to the trouble of sending a picture of the grounding strap was above and beyond! I don't have one; but, I will! Thanx!
I checked the battery cables again. I could 'make' the positive one wiggle a little, so I took it off and cleaned everything.
I checked the coil connections; the wire to the starter was loose. I tried to take it off to clean the connecting bolt/nut, no luck, couldn't get it off (felt like I was going to break something!). So I cleaned everything there as best I could and tightened the nut a little.
We took her to the grocery store, to dinner, and to pick up a beer (yes, Tommy, we still drink beer). She purrs like a kitten (new exhaust today; that's on a different page), and she gave us no problems.
I really appreciate the thought and experience you all shared with me -- I'd have had to pay big bucks to have a shop figure this out. THANK YOU!
Best regards,
A great lady, a stovebolt, & a small town! What else is there?
Aspiring '54 6400 dump truck owner
'Bolt On
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#88923 05/01/2002 8:21 PM | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 332 Big Bolt Shop Curmudgeon | | Big Bolt Shop Curmudgeon Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 332 | Sounds like you've successfully solved the problem. That picture is great, but aword of caution--make sure everything is bright metal where the high amperage connections occur.
Not too long ago, I replaced the battery in my '46 1-1/2 ton, and put a new cable to the starter stud connector and a new braided ground strap from the battery to the transmission housing bolt.
From long experience (well, not so long, really) I climbed in before I put the floorboard back in, "just to make darn sure" Ol' blue would crank up. Mashed the starter, and .....nuthin'.
New battery, new cables, battery shows full charge, so check the connections.
Yep! That bolt connection on the transmission housing had a oil film (caused by me) when I took the old strap off and wiped it just a little. Either I wiped it too little, or not enough, but just enough to muss it up. Really cleaned it, screwed everything back together, and.....ah! the sweet sound of success!
Watch those loose connections. Anything loose, or less than a GOOD connection means voltage drop. Voltage drop means heat. Too much heat means burning insulation. Burning insulation doesn't smell too good and can result in a very bad smell known as burned paint.
Drivin' down a 2 lane country road in a stovebolt.....cowboy, it don't get no better than this!
1946 1-1/2 ton Chevy
"Ol Blue", or "THE BIG 'UN"
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#88924 05/01/2002 11:52 PM | Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 | Howdy Glenn,
Thanx for sharing your time and experience. I hope others will benefit from it too.
I noticed that "hot" feeling you mentioned 'before' I got everything put back together. When the starter wouldn't even groan, I thought the battery was gone; but, the positive cable to the starter was 'hot' to touch. I didn't know why -- your explanation solves that mystery. Did quite a bit of driving today--not a hitch!
Nice visor on 'Ol Blue'; haven't seen that many on art decos!
Thanx again for making time to share your knowledge.
Regards,
A great lady, a stovebolt, & a small town! What else is there?
Aspiring '54 6400 dump truck owner
'Bolt On
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#88925 05/04/2002 11:04 AM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | Not a problem `Bolt On. You will recieve a bill for services in the mail soon!!!! . . . J/K 
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us.
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Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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#88926 05/04/2002 1:54 PM | Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 23 | Send your bill right on over.
But, I'm on a fixed income here, after all.
Will you put 'ton my account and take payments?
A great lady, a stovebolt, & a small town! What else is there?
Aspiring '54 6400 dump truck owner
'Bolt On
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#88927 05/04/2002 7:46 PM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | Sure, we can do that!Put t`on yer account on account you have no account! .We wont even charge interest,we`ll just SHOW interest in your truck!
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us.
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Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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