Jet Won't Start - Help!
Sarah Young
Senior Contributor
The Jet ran just fine a week ago when we had it out last with the exception of the speedometer cable freezing up. We tried to start it the other day and NOTHING. The battery's only about a month old. It's got to be something electrical, but I don't know where to start troubleshooting. When we turn the key there's absolutely no sound or juice, even on accessory mode.
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Comments
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The battery is obviously flat, or disconnected. does the gen and light show? You need to check that a door wasn't left open, or the ignition switch left on, or the lights left on. Something has drained the battery, and you need to get it charged. when you have done that, hold an ammeter between the negative terminal and the lead ( disconnected) and see if you have a reading with everything switched off. if so, you have to try and find where the discharge is. sorry I can't be more specific. until you give more information.0
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Sarah, check you battery cable connections. Take the cables off and clean the terminals on the battery well, then clean the inside of the cable connections, then re-install, making sure they are tight. Many times just twisting the cable on the battery terminal will get you the connection you need. Try that.0
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Sarah Young wrote:
Hi Sarah---I vote for a bad connection on the battery cables. Probably the ground one. Gently tap them with a hammer & if this gets you back in business follow through with Geoff's suggestion. Hope this helps.---Cliff Minard.The Jet ran just fine a week ago when we had it out last with the exception of the speedometer cable freezing up. We tried to start it the other day and NOTHING. The battery's only about a month old. It's got to be something electrical, but I don't know where to start troubleshooting. When we turn the key there's absolutely no sound or juice, even on accessory mode.0 -
Did you make sure there is a good ground with the ground strap?
P.S. You did a beautiful job on your restoration!0 -
Sarah, I am not familiar with the jet but if you have no lights or anythig that uses power. you should at least get a click from the starter solenoid. If not check the under dash circuit breaker, If it is ok, check the wire from the battery to the breaker and from there to the switch. make sure the battery is grounded well and rememberr "good and tight makes lights bright"
Bob0 -
Sarah, Make sure you have the proper gauge battery cables. Six volt systems use a one gauge cable. make sure the groud is tight. I am sure it is something minor. Just take your time and first charge the battery and go from there. Your car looks great.0
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Our Jet's been converted from 6 volt to 12 volt. The amp light is always on when the car's running. I've had the doors open quite a bit because I was installing the weatherstripping and interior door panels, and had taken out the dome light bulb, but perhaps there's still some battery drainage. My worry was that the alternator wasn't refueling the battery.
I've seen the Battery Tender featured on My Classic Car tv show and it looks like a good "insurance".
I'll go out and run through the connections again and see what I find.0 -
She fired up!
I pulled the battery out to take it to Shuck's to be tested. Before leaving, I pulled the battery from our Brand X and popped it into the Hudson real quick and she cranked right up. Found that we had a bad battery as well as a bad ground wire. So, will replace battery with a larger capacity one, replace the ground wire, and also buy a quick disconnect. With the stress of running last minute on wrapping things up on the car, I expected the worst. Whew!0 -
DOIN THE HAPPY DANCE...
Figgered it was something simple, Let me know if I can help in any way''0 -
Here's something to put in the "try it" file. Back around 1990 or so, I had a 1969 Rambler wagon. Kept getting a generator warning light. Sometimes bright, sometimes dim, sometimes in between.
I checked everything I could think of - tested with a volt meter, etc, etc, etc. Could not for the life of me find anything. I finally, in desperation, started cleaning electrical wiring connections. Man, I took every connection I could get to apart and cleaned them - even the little push on types can be taken apart and cleaned.
When I got done, never had another generator warning light while running down the highway as before. Lesson: a little corrosion can go a long, long way!!!!
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
Good luck and glad to hear you found the solution... now just keep the Jet ahead of the rescue trailer! Have fun at the nationals with your NEW JET!0
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I found out what initially drained the battery... it was my brake lights!
When I had the car parked in the lot at the National, someone was standing by the rear of the car and I saw a red light reflecting off their shirt. I had to hop in and pump the brake peddle to turn the lights off. I guess it's a bit sticky from not being driven enough.0 -
Sarah, My gen light would stay on, just dim though, and I found the ground wire to the generator was loose, cleaned and tightened it up and the light went away!
Barry Smedley
53' Super Jet
and a bunch of Crosley's0 -
Sarah Young wrote:I found out what initially drained the battery... it was my brake lights!
When I had the car parked in the lot at the National, someone was standing by the rear of the car and I saw a red light reflecting off their shirt. I had to hop in and pump the brake peddle to turn the lights off. I guess it's a bit sticky from not being driven enough.
You need to replace the switch. Not a big job, easily accessible, and can be done without draining the system. Just unscrew the old and fit the new one. if you don't touch the brake pedal during this process there will be no leakage.0 -
Well, just when I thought I had it figured out, we're back to the beginning again. Apparently it wasn't the battery. The car is getting power, because I can hear the fuel pump kicking on when I turn the key, but that's as far as it's going. I don't hear any click of the starter and the car isn't trying to turn over. All we get is some dripping of fuel under the car after trying a couple times to start it.0
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In an effort to narrow things down I'll offer this.
Turn the headlights on then watch them as somebody tries to crank it.
IF the headlights go OUT when you try to engage the starter you
probably have a bad connection on either end of the battery cables.
IF the headlights stay ON and don't dim at all when you engage the starter
then I'd look at the starter solenoid and verify that it is working.
If you can post what the headlights do when you try to crank it,we can
narrow it down further. BUT FIRST make sure you have a working fire
extinguisher in the car. Shouldn't be ANY fuel on the floor and ALL of
our cars should carry an extinguisher...0 -
TwinH wrote:Shouldn't be ANY fuel on the floor and ALL of
our cars should carry an extinguisher...
Heed the warning, you should not try to start the car until you get the fuel leak resolved. Check all of your fuel line fittings while the electric fuel pump is running, but don't try to start the car!0 -
Did the light test and the lights stayed ON without dimming. Also, the fuel seems to be coming from the top of the fuel pump.0
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Sarah Young wrote:Did the light test and the lights stayed ON without dimming. Also, the fuel seems to be coming from the top of the fuel pump.
You need to repair that fuel pump. It could be the flexible hose connection, or the screws loose on the top of the pump. As far as the starting problem goes, you say you can't hear the solenoid, or the starter operating. You need to check the connections on the back of the ignition switch, and for voltage at the solenoid. Try pressing the button under the solenoid and see if that activates the starter. If it does, then either the solenoid coils are shot, or they are not getting activated from the ignition switch. It's got to be something pretty basic.0 -
All good advice, Check also that the solenoid has a good ground through the
mounting bracket. Test light from battery cable connection to the mounting
bracket will verify this.0 -
Fuel pump pic makes me wonder if the diaphragm is shot and fuel leaking
through a weep hole. Can't really see in the pic tho.0 -
Fuel problem solved. Decided to bypass the mechanical fuel pump since we already had an electric "backup" one on there. Kept the mechanical one mounted for the time being. When the car wouldn't start, gave the solenoid a good wiggle and then the car started.0
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Check the connections on the solenoid, all of them, from the battery, to the starter, and from the switch.0
This discussion has been closed.
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