engine problem

[banzai510(hainz)]

You need to get a volt meter or a version of this to plug in cig lighter

http://www.equus.com/Product/3721/Battery-Monitor

 

mayby your alternator dont work and not charging the battery as it should have still push started. Unless the alternator is also toast.

 

these above meters will give more of a indicarion if soemthing is going out before the IGNITION (Idiot light pops on)

[old skool too cool]

if my battery was dead it would have bump started. Will it bump start with a bad alternator? ima take it out and bring to autozone to test as soon as I can.

[ggzilla]

If the battery is completely dead it won't bump start. The ignition needs at least some electricity to start the engine.

[old skool too cool]

got it tested 11.5 volts got it charged started first time. I would think it would bump with 11.5 volts but I guess not. Thinking alternator is going out

[ggzilla]

Alternator is not required to start an engine

 

11.5 v is enough for a push start. Or use a jump start. Why doesn't it start? Have the points been replaced in the last 12 months/12,000 miles?

[banzai510(hainz)]

get that in car volt meter. Don't be a dumb ass next time.

Once you see your not charging with say heater and or lights on then you know your alt is going out. Way before the idiot light comes on.

Thses things work and trust them

[old skool too cool]

update. Im just a cheap ass and wont buy a new alternator. so I bump start my car about five times a day. Cool thing is it makes driving funner gotta park strategically. haha

[datzenmike]

It's funny until someone gets hurt. Stalling with on coming traffic assumes that they aren't on a cell phone, they can see you and can stop.

 

You need to find out why it won't crank over and start.

 

Low or not charged battery does not mean the alternator is necessarily bad.....

A wire could be loose or corroded on the alternator case.

The fusible link bad.

The battery terminals are dirty and not making contact with the cables.

The pos. cable is loose or dirty on the starter.

The neg. cable is loose or dirty on the head

Your regulator may be bad or loose wire or bad ground.

The battery may not take or hold a charge.

 

Find the problem..... fix the problem.

[old skool too cool]

sorry I did not mean to say alternator I meant starter/solenoid. Sometimes it will crank and others not. I can hear a click when it doesn't. And mike i would think with a bad regulator it should crank but wont hold charge with accessories on such as lights and what not.

[ggzilla]

. Sometimes it will crank and others not. I can hear a click when it doesn't.

By far the most common cause of that is cable-to-battery connections that are less-than-pristine. Less common causes include a bad starter solenoid.

[old skool too cool]

clean connection. I checked all connections. Its the original starter/solenoid. Doesn't mean its bad but im assuming. Is there a test on starters or whats the deal on that.

[ggzilla]

Yes, take it to Autozone and they'll test it for no charge.

 

Or you can do the Voltage Drop test. Connect red of voltmeter to +bat terminal (not the cable end). Connect black to starter solenoid S terminal. Watch while key is turned to Start. How many volts read out? More than 1/2 volt?

[old skool too cool]

it only has to put out more than 1/2 a volt to tell if good? how many volts should it put out? And this is testing from the the power + cord and starter ground connection? Didn't understand clearly.

[ggzilla]

It doesn't put out voltage. It is measuring the Drop in voltage.

 

Nothing to do with ground. Connect red of voltmeter to +bat terminal. Connect black to starter solenoid S terminal

[old skool too cool]

Ok i was thiking to myself that doesn't seem right, but i didn't catch the drop part. Makes sense i will try.

[datzenmike]

My 710 sedan had a hit or miss starter when I got it. Naturally I replaced it with one of the 12 I have laying around. Didn't help.

 

I measured the start wire to the solenoid and it was 6 volts!!! This is the wire from the ignition in the start position. Battery power has to go from battery to the ignition through the wiring harness which is likely close to 10 feet or more and then back out to the starter. Old wires. I installed a 'hot start relay' using this 6 volts to energise a relay feeding 12 full volts from the battery. Put the original starter back on and it has never done this since.

[old skool too cool]

ok so I have another question. yesterday I bump started my truck no problem. On the way to the store it seemed like it needed to warm up a little longer than usual. Went into the grocery store for five min. Tried to bump my car like usual would not turn. Battery only had 7.5 volts. Charged the battery still nothing. I can hear a click when I turn my ignition but nothing more. This was how it was and it would bump. Now it wont Bump??? Any thoughts on this. Would this mean my starter is completely out? Oh by the way I started to manually crank it when I put a metal conductor from the power wire to solenoid. Cranked and my friend was in driver seat to give gas like usual, still nothing. Or is this alternator issues or something more? since my battery would not hold a charge in the first place.

any thoughts?

[ggzilla]

Yes. Those are all possibilities. So now test to find out which it is.

[datzenmike]

It's funny until someone gets hurt. Stalling with on coming traffic assumes that they aren't on a cell phone, they can see you and can stop.

 

You need to find out why it won't crank over and start.

 

Low or not charged battery does not mean the alternator is necessarily bad.....

A wire could be loose or corroded on the alternator case.

The fusible link bad.

The battery terminals are dirty and not making contact with the cables.

The pos. cable is loose or dirty on the starter.

The neg. cable is loose or dirty on the head

Your regulator may be bad or loose wire or bad ground.

The battery may not take or hold a charge.

 

Find the problem..... fix the problem.

 

We're back to this...

[old skool too cool]

ok so it was kinda simple and it took a min looking under the hood to see something. I realized the wire going from the ignition to the ballast that connects with the coil was somehow disconnected. So I fixed this now I have a click. Pulled my starter brought it to autozone it was bad. So my question is will a 72 620 starter/solenoid fit my 67 520. Pictures looked identical just wanna make sure. Thanks

[ggzilla]

1972 620 came with L16 engine

1967 520 came with J13 engine

 

Get the correct starter.

[old skool too cool]

whats the difference ggzilla if it fits it fits right. Will the gears not work right on the inside or what? Datzen mike I need a explained answer or someone teach me some knowledge haha. Not familiar with starter. Actually pulled my first starter today. Only 19 still have alot to learn.

[datzenmike]

I would be damn sure the starter is bad before buying some rebuilt piece of crap. Not cranking, or poor cranking of the engine can be many things.

 

Low battery.... maybe it's old and has no reserve left, maybe the alt isn't fully charging it, maybe the regulator isn't allowing it to charge properly. Jumper with a known good fully charged battery and try.

 

Dirty post connections....  clean and tighten, replace if in bad shape.

Bad negative cable connection where t bolts to the head behind the fuel pump. clean and tighten, replace if in bad shape

Bad positive cable connection there it bolts to the starter lug. clean and tighten

 

The start signal from the ignition switch is low and won't hold the starter solenoid in so it will crank. Disconnect the small solenoid wire and check with a volt meter while the key is held in the start position.

[MikeRL411]

Amen on the "clean and tighten" I drove my wife to the beauty parlor [not that she needed it] and the 411 wouldn't start when I wanted to go home.  It finally turned out that when I bought the latest battery the torque on the battery post connectors was a bit shy,  The negative battery clamp had decided to have a look see at the higher elevations.  A good smack with a lead shot loaded impact hammer and a good torque [with of course a half inch wrench (it's not a factory battery clamp) but I could almost completely disassemble my RL411 with a half inch wrench] and all is well,  The morale of all this is to eliminate the obvious, and next to obvious easily fixed errors. before you reach for your check book and hope you won't bounce that check!  Most of our older cars are really simple once you look into them.  No computer interlocks and good old copper wire connections.  Now there is the everlasting bain of visually "good" tubular glass fuses that have a nasty habit of failing at the solder connection to the caps, but that is another bitch!  Buy a fuse puller and tubular fuse assortment and remember all the miles you drove before your car or truck decided to play games with your electrical system!

[old skool too cool]

no I pulled starter brought it to autozone they put it in there testing machine and it failed. Its bad.

I just don't see why a 620 starter/solenoid would not work on my 67 520. and by the way ggzilla my 520 has a l16 is this not stock? Im about positive this is the original motor.

Its 30 bucks for a brand new 72 620 solenoid and starter. NO 521 or 520 parts available. all autozone had is 620 starters. Im thinking Ima get this one.

I don't know what the difference between the two could be.??

Another local Datsun owner put a 280z alternator in a 69 521. Works fine he probably just has more amperage and no need for a regulator.

Will this starter work on my L16. Thanks.