1964-1974 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
There's no fuse -- the + cable runs directly from the battery, along the floor, to the post on the front of the solenoid. Your problems could be at the battery, cables (don't forget the ground cable; connection at the body end could be rusted out), solenoid, starter, or switch. Here's a basic troubleshooting procedure that works on almost any car:
1) Turn on the headlights. Are they nice and bright? If not, electricity is not getting out of the battery - check the battery, terminals and cables.
2) Watch the headlights while someone tries the starter. Do the headlights get really dim? If not, current is not reaching the starter - check the + connection on the starter and the ignition switch wiring.
3) If the headlights get dim, current is reaching the starter but it's not turning. Try putting the car in gear and pushing it a few inches -- the starter gear teeth might have jammed against the flywheel gear teeth, and pushing it a bit might move the flywheel just enough to let the starter engage. If that doesn't help, the starter is probably bad and will have to come off so you can find out what's wrong with it.
With most cars you'll find the trouble at either the battery or the starter, but the Sonett has special weirdness that raises other possibilities. I had a similar situation with mine (also a '74) earlier this year, and the problem turned out to be the ignition lock cylinder (!) - the retainer that holds it had loosened, and it had pulled out just far enough that the little nub on the back of the cylinder sometimes didn't engage the starter switch. I didn't catch on until the cylinder popped out and landed in my lap! (which also locked the steering column and made for a few exciting moments of driving!!)
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