To get some clarity, I am going to do the following. I hope the red words show up as they are questions on the instructions. I just want to make sure I'm hooking things up to the right spots. I am kind of understanding it now and will try my best to get the info requested, but sure there will be questions for clarity along the way. Either testing procedures or understanding how it works so I kind of have more of an idea on what's going on.


I'd make a high draw test light (generic turn signal socket and 1157 bulb with long leads and alligator clips) and put the bulb where you can see it. Test for power at the solenoid and work your way back to the ignition switch. The semi permanent installation will be present when the problem occurs, not hours later after a tow call. Sometimes with intermittent problems you have to do things like this.


Currently have an 1157 socket at the NSS output to starter and wire from solenoid to car interior with a multimeter hooked to it.


____ understood. It may not be much use but leave it alone for now.

I will unplug the HEI BATT connector and leave the starter in. If I need to drop the starter, I will.

____ should be no need to.


For a starting point to test, I wouldn't use the questionable previous owner stuff. I'd connect to the stud on the starter that gets the crank signal. Other end connected to battery negative. As things progress, the connection points will change and at some point you'll need something to backprobe the bulkhead connection.

What would the wire to negative do and battery cable for crank signal or solenoid ignition wire?

____ this was for using the test light to try to catch an intermittent situation. Test lights work on higher voltage than what we're checking.

12.4 volts at the solenoid is a problem. You need battery voltage there.

1-Meter set to a low voltage scale , one end to battery positive, the other to starter battery connection. Voltage should read zero. Now crank, what does meter show?

____ you didn't ask but, this was to test the big battery cable for a voltage drop.


2-Move battery end of meter to negative, meter should read same as battery. Now crank, what does meter show?

Don’t understand what I’m looking for here, but will do it anyway. Helps if I have an idea of what’s happening to work on it. I do get the initial voltage since it’s positive to ground.

_____ this test would have been for the ground between the starter and battery.


We're looking for differences of tenths of a volt, if you have a 2 volt setting or millivolt setting that's what to use.
If you have 2000mv that's a 2 volt scale, use that. We'll be looking for readings between 0 and 700 mv. More than that indicates big problems.

3-If you're planning on getting a couple steps ahead, a voltage drop test from the starter signal stud ( small, on the solenoid) and battery positive would be my next step and then from the engine block to battery negative(isolates the ground cable).

Is this the same as step 1 and 2, but using the meter from the solenoid to the battery positive post, then negative post? And then the same for the block to the negative post, then positive post? I would use the bolt at the starter support bracket more than likely.


____ you're catching on. We're breaking the system down into smaller parts and testing them individually.

Since it sounds like the NSS and the bypass are getting power from the fuse block, your problem is between the fuse block and battery.

Meter hookup is simple. Battery positive on one test lead, the other lead at the starter.

Battery cable at the starter or solenoid?

____ battery terminal and crank signal. The purple (I think) wire.

You don't need to ground anything. You don't need to probe anything. Just need to know voltage between those two points.
Try to crank.
If you test with the starter installed it sounds like the meter will read around 5 volts.
If the starter is out the meter will show something like point 5 volts.
Both results are horrendously bad, but we need you to confirm at least one.

I get the game of battleship analogy. I got out in the garage and this is what I got today. I tried to follow the instructions given. If there is anything right, wrong, indifferent, let me know. I don't understand what exactly I'm looking for, but trying.

Unhooked HEI power. Used a test lead from starter battery cable end, test lead to engine ground (verified with test light as a good ground), test lead from battery terminals, test lead from solenoid to inside of car (hooked up to monitor solenoid voltage when installed the starter last time), input to NSS (output has 1157 bulb to monitor). Can not get the clips to stay on the solenoid purple ignition wire, so used the lead I have set up.

Starter:
Hooked multimeter to battery positive to starter positive cable and positive battery terminal. Battery was 12.71V. 20V setting showed 0 and 2000mV showed 0. Cranked engine over and got .23V (20V setting) and -236 (2000mV setting).

____ congratulations, you've done a proper voltage drop test. You measured about. 25 volts of drop between the battery terminal and the end of the starter cable. A bit high but acceptable.

Moved test lead to negative terminal and left other one on starter. Battery showed 12.56V. 20V setting showed 12.61V (20V setting) and OL (2000mV setting). Cranked engine over and got 10.61V (20V setting) and OL (2000mV setting).

____ would be nice to see what battery voltage reads at the same time but, seems typical. Starters put a heck of a draw on a battery.


Solenoid:
Hooked multimeter up to wire in car that goes to solenoid and positive battery terminal. Battery was 12.61V. 20V setting showed .12.61V and 2000mV showed OL . Cranked engine over and got .44V (20V setting) and 1418 (2000mV setting).

____ this is the same terminal as the wire to the NSS correct?

Moved test lead to negative terminal. 20V setting showed 0V (20V setting) and -.002 (2000mV setting). Cranked engine over and got -9.48V (20V setting) and OL (2000mV setting).

NSS input:
Hooked multimeter to ground in car and positive to NSS. Got 10.03V (20V setting) and for some reason OL (2000mV setting).

____ please retest between battery positive and both sides of the NSS.

Solenoid inside car:
Same set up as NSS. Got 9.45 V (20V setting) and OL-990 (2000mV setting).

Block to Negative:
Battery was 12.5V. 0V (20V setting) and 0V (2000mV setting). Cranked engine over and got .29V (20V setting) and 300 (2000mV setting).

____ battery cables both check out fine, another. 25 ish drop on the ground side.


Car cranked each time and 1157 test bulb on NSS output lit up each time.

____ so still intermittent. But when testing, your results seem ok. Going to need to catch it when it acts up. See following post

I'm guessing the negative are because of how the leads were set up. Battery showed -12.71V when they were on the wrong terminals just to see if I understood it correctly. I realize it would be better to test the actual ignition wire vs the test lead I have on it, but if that has to be done, I'll have to do it later. Getting close to putting the car up for the season and don't want to have it starting when not driving it.

Tried to adjust the ignition switch towards the steering wheel a tad to get more push from actuator rod. Connections looked good.

NSS:

Top terminal (purple w/white tracer input). Test lead from positive battery terminal to multimeter, multimeter to switch tab. In Reverse (I know it shouldn’t start, but tested any way) I got 0V with key on run and .17V when cranking (20V setting). Then 002 with key on and 178 when cranking (2000mV setting).

____ please just use 2 volt scale, simpler to follow and less monkeying around. But, .178 volts on an open circuit sounds wrong. Otoh, we're getting into too much information making things difficult to sort out.


Car did not crank due to being in Reverse. In park I got 12.30V (20V setting) with key on and OL (2000mV setting). Cranking in park I got .90V (20V setting) and 906 (2000mV setting). Car was trying to start.

Bottom terminal (purple output). Test lead from positive battery terminal to multimeter, multimeter to switch tab. In Reverse (I know it shouldn’t start, but tested any way) I got 12.34V with key on run and 12.34V when cranking (20V setting). Then OL for both run and cranking (2000mV setting. In park I got 12.30V (20V setting) with key on and OL (2000mV setting). Cranking in park I got 1.15V (20V setting) and 1023 (2000mV setting). Car was trying to start.

Battery voltage at terminals was 12.41V at end of testing.

Not sure what the numbers mean, but the NSS output looks like a heck of a drop.

You're doing too much work and I'm getting a headache.

And 1.15 volts while trying to start is impossible. Did you mean 11.15 V

As stated previously, you have to monitor the Voltage AT the solenoid and compare it to when the problem occurs. then start backtracking to the IGN switch. Or continue to chase your tail, no offense meant but a lot of time has been invested trying to help you.

I did the test per the instructions given. Battery positive, test lead, multimeter, NSS. Nothing with ground or negative terminal was done until after I tested the NSS and checked battery voltage after the test.

"NSS input:
Hooked multimeter to ground in car and positive to NSS. Got 10.03V (20V setting) and for some reason OL (2000mV setting).

____ please retest between battery positive and both sides of the NSS. "

Nothing hooked to a ground. The car was cranking, therefore the starter was working. HEI was unplugged so it wouldn't start. I was simply following the instructions given and for my own piece of mind, when I got an OL I decided to test on 20V setting so I can see something.