Strange non-starting issue

[CamB]

The '69 cut out on me last night. Here are the details:

- at traffic light, about to pull away, lights on. Car stalled, didn't want to rev.
- Then, it wouldn't start - no click, no crank.... nothing.
- Went back after about 2-3 hours (nice restaurant ) and tried it - worked fine

It sort of happened Sunday as well after driving around for 30 mins with the lights on (raining hard) - I drove to a cafe went in for 30 mins, came out, hopped back in to restart and... nothing. This time I had it jump started.

Bizarre, beacuse it started again after a period sitting thinking about how naughty it had been.

I am leaning towards either the battery (needing to help out the alternator when at idle) not being up to the job, or grounding issues, which I have to investigate.

Car has been bodgily converted to one battery, so grounding issues are a very strong possibility.

But what would explain the "starts again after sitting" phenomenon?

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Cameron Baudinet
1975 911S (in bits)
1969 911T

[911pcars]

As you said, it could be a bad ground; either on the battery end or starter end.
Could be something real simple, such as loose, corroded battery connection. Remove the cables and make sure the connections are nice and shiny. A common starting problem is a bad ground strap (trans. mount to body). Check the battery with a hydrometer as well, just to make sure. Don't replace anything until you've gone through the basic checks.

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

[RoninLB]

Is there voltage at starter sol. I wonder if an old ignition switch can cause this, assuming you checked all grounds and terminals like 911pcars said.

[oldE]

The "starts after it sits a while" could be due to the manner in which wet cell batteries store energy. A heavy current draw, such as running off the battery with no recharge (either from a poor alternator or a bad ground) uses up the readily available energy which is stored chemically. If the unit is allowed to rest for a period of time, more energy becomes available through the still occuring (albiet slower) chemical reaction in the cells.
Les

[Rot 911]

I can almost guarantee that you have a bad connection at the battery or starter or a bad ground. Clean all these connections and I suspect your problem will disappear.

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Kurt V
'86 Coupe, '72 MGB, '58 Sprite
Jefferson City, Missouri

[CamB]

Thanks guys - plenty for me to work on. Especially as, in the words of Sherwood "don't replace until basic checks". I am a cheap-ass, so I always try and do this.

On an unrelated note, I noticed that it broke both times after I was eating... there must be something in that

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Cameron Baudinet
1975 911S (in bits)
1969 911T

[Early_S_Man]

Cam,

Your problem, if not connection/corrosion-related at battery, ground cables, or solenoid ... may well be a failing ignition switch!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa
1992 Dodge Dakota 5.2 4X4 parts hauler

[Matt Smith]

After you have eaten each time? Hmmm, maybe the P is telling you to stop adding unwanted weight and to hurry along with
*Project Crack Beauty*- aka 3.0 into 2.0 must go!
I suppose you could check the connections as stated above if you are less metaphysically inclined.