Hello All,

I've had a strange starting issue on my '70 Coronet (4-speed car) that has happened only a few times, but I'm puzzled as to what might be the cause.

This has only happened to me a few times over the course of the last couple of years. I will go to turn the key and I get no sound at all. Completely quiet - no clicks. I have battery power - the interior lights, headlights, etc all are working. And when I turn the key - the Parking Brake light, reverse light, etc all are getting power as they light up. But not a sound from the starter. I even get that buzzer when I open the door - so it knows my key is in the ignition.

I can then keep trying to start the car over and over - nothing - no sound at all. Then, I wait maybe 10-15 minutes and come back - and I try again - it cranks over as stong as ever and fires right up.

And it will then go for months without this happening again.

Does anyone have any pointers on what could be happening here? Does this sound like a wiring issue to the starter or starter relay? Or the starter or starter relay itself? Or possibly ignition switch? When I turn the key, I do get the idiot lights - so somehow it seems to know the key is in and being turned.

As I said, this only happens like 1 out of maybe a 100 times... but I am really curious as to what it might be!

Thanks much for any pointers on this. I know these intermittent problems are the hardest, but maybe someone out there has seen something like this before.

--Stan

Assuming you are correct about "no sound at all" these are the possibilities:

Do you still have the clutch safety switch? That or it's associated wiring could be the problem.

The very FIRST thing I'd do, if you have it, is pull the wire from the firewall relay which goes to the clutch switch, and ground it. Just make up a short little jumper from the relay push-on term. to ground.

Bad firewall mounted starter relay

Corroded/ loose firewall harness connector

Connector on rear of ignition switch

Bad ignition switch

any or all "wire crimps" in between

Hi,

What exactly is the Clutch Safety Switch (sorry, I'm new to most of this stuff)? I still do have to press the clutch when starting -- is that the switch which determines that someone is pressing the clutch? Can this feature be removed?

Come to think of it - the symptoms I noticed (definitely no sound when trying to crank the motor -- not even a click), but idiot lights do light up (parking brake, reverse light, etc) - do seem to be the same as when you don't press in on the clutch when starting... Are these switches problematic? Are these easily replaceable/fixable?

Thanks much again for any tips folks might have on this! It may be months before this happens again, but I'd like to be prepared!

--Stan

Sounds to me like the ae old problem of corroded battery terminals and that should be the first place to look (KISS). Take the cables off the post and wire brush or use a terminal cleaning tool and clean both the posts and ther terminal clamps to a shiny clean. Maks sure that the terminals clamp down tight to the posts when done and that you can not turn them on the terminal by hand If you can an easy fix for that is to take out the olt and clamp the terminal together with a vise grips or put the terminal in a vise and cut through the mating surface with a hack saw making it able to clamp tighter. Reason there is lights etc is they don't draw near as much as the starter.

Wow,
This brings back memories.
I chased a problem like this in the 80s'.
replaced just about everything electrical that I could bolt on.

Turned out to be a damaged-broken ammeter gauge. when the loose post on the gauge was in the right place, everything was fine, when it moved. "GHOST" car with strange events.....
Climb under the dash and check the ammeter wires for tightness/broken posts.

I had/have the exact problem on My 67 GTX and R/T. Troubleshot EVERYTHING and found it to be the ignition switch. The car would not engage the starter...had lights..etc...(would start it by leaving the key on and shorting the connections at the firewall to crank it) VERY FRUSTRATing and embarrassing at a cruise or show.so one day I decided to turn the ignition switch slowly several times and after about 8 tries....it started. HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER...DID THE SAME...started again...changed the ignition switch,,,,no problem in 2 years...

Thanks for the help!

How do you short the connections at the firewall to start it? I hadn't tried that. So far, I've been able to let it sit for awhile and then it starts up fine..

Is this something where you use a screwdriver on the starter relay?

Thanks much! All these replies have really helped to identify the possibilities of what is going on!

--Stan

The clutch safety switch--if your car has it, requires you to push down the clutch pedal to start the car, and works just like the neutral safety switch for an auto trans

Here's how it works. The older (69) cars with a stick had THREE terminals on the firewall mount starter relay.

The largest stud goes to battery

The other exposed screw goes to the starter

(Jump those two to crank the engine)

The third "push on" terminal goes to the "start" position of the ign switch, and engages this relay for start

Additionally, if you have an auto trans, or the "clutch start switch" there will be a FOURTH wire--a push on connector--on the relay.

With an auto trans, this wire is grounded when the trans is in neutral or park, allowing the relay to operate

With a stick, and the "clutch start" switch, you push down the clutch and that switch grounds that relay terminal.

My book shows the wire to the clutch as a separate (push on, dark green) going through a firewall grommet by itself. To test, remove the push-on wire from the relay, and GROUND that relay terminal. The car should crank

If not, see if the other push on get's power when the ign switch is in "start." If you have power there, and the relay does not pull in, you have a bad relay.

One of the first things I did when I got my '70 RR was to bypass that clutch switch.

Thanks much for the info!

Here is a picture of my firewall and starter relay. This is a 1970 - does the setup look correct here? Thanks!

It's been a long time since I owned one, but I recon so.

Next time it won't start, put the car in neutral, and cycle the clutch pedal up/down. The clutch switch may be going bad.

If not, try not to bump things, and carry a "clip lead" with you. Pull off that green wire, and hook the exposed terminal on the relay to ground, then see if it cranks with the key

If not, it may be the relay

Again, in an emergency, just put a coin, key, or other metal object across the two exposed terminals and it should crank.

A couple of things..
1. Starter switch wire is the GREEN one in the lower rite terminal. Disconnect this and make a jumper lead to this terminal and then ground it under a screw. Now you don't have to push the clutch pedal down to start it.
2. Kleen your bulkhead connections. Pop out the connectors litely file the terminals, titen down slightly the female terminals.
3. Coat the terminals with dia-lectric grease, and snap back together.
4. You are missing the wire shield on your bigger starter relay terminal. See the attached picture for the part, this is available from Year 1 or Paddock or E-Bay.

Thanks everyone for your help! I've learned a ton of new things here to help me out.

On the Starter Relay "Wire Shield" - what can happen if this is missing? The wires going to the relay could overheat?

Does anyone have a pic of their starter relay with one installed?

Thanks!
--Stan