Starting gremlin

Boobouna

Boobouna

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Hi all,

I went for a cruise today and it nearly didn’t get off the ground as I had a small issue trying to start the car. I had the ignition in position 1 and the oil and alternator lights came on which is good. Then turn to crank and nothing. Literally nothing, no noise no crank, nothing, dead silent. This has happened before so it’s not the first time. After a few fiddles and key turns on and off it finally decided to start cranking and started first crank. But I don’t know why it does this. Not always only occasionally. Any ideas what causes this? It’s an auto with factory twin zenith carbs.


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Boobouna

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Wes said:
Reckon your key tumbler is on the way out.
Had exactly the same issue. have a new one on the way.
Click to expand...
Your new one is on the way but have you confirmed 100% this was the cause?


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Boobouna

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Wes said:
Reckon your key tumbler is on the way out.
Had exactly the same issue. have a new one on the way.
Click to expand...
Is your new one coming from W&N? What year is your car?


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Philippe db

Philippe db

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W&N is only post '73

The pre 73's as far as I know aren't available anymore. If anybody has a spare I'm always interested.
 
milwakeesk

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With an auto, you might check the neutral safety switch.

Wiggling the shift lever may be enough if the linkage is only off slightly.
 
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Boobouna

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milwakeesk said:
With an auto, you might check the neutral safety switch.

Wiggling the shift lever may be enough if the linkage only off slightly.
Click to expand...
Yes I thought this was a possibility so I did play around and move the shifter. It didn’t seem to fix the problem. The car started after I had put the key in and out a few times and switching from position 0 to on multiple times.


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H

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That you got indicator lights with key in position 1 is a good thing, it tells you that the switch is likely working (at least that far). To go further (without consultation) you might have a look at your wiring diagram and suss out the energy flow from B+ through starter (including the quadrant switch on the gearshift lever) and neutral safety relay. If you understand the current flow, you'll be well on your way to knowing where interrupts may occur (or just read and listen here). I favor the get-to-know-your-wiring-diagram procedure, but that's me.

Though others have suggested your switch is bad, if you know the current flow, before you drop cash, you can jumper (in USA we call it hotwiring) the ignition, and this would reveal the misbehaving circuit(s). It could be as simple as a contact that needs cleaning, or a wire that's just a little loose enough to be intermittent.
 
Wes

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Just pull the electrical side of the switch, you release it with a grub screw.
Then insert a flat blade screw driver in the slot and rotate to the ignition position.
If the car fires you know it's the key tumbler :)
Learnt this the hard way.
 
Boobouna

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Honolulu said:
That you got indicator lights with key in position 1 is a good thing, it tells you that the switch is likely working (at least that far). To go further (without consultation) you might have a look at your wiring diagram and suss out the energy flow from B+ through starter (including the quadrant switch on the gearshift lever) and neutral safety relay. If you understand the current flow, you'll be well on your way to knowing where interrupts may occur (or just read and listen here). I favor the get-to-know-your-wiring-diagram procedure, but that's me.

Though others have suggested your switch is bad, if you know the current flow, before you drop cash, you can jumper (in USA we call it hotwiring) the ignition, and this would reveal the misbehaving circuit(s). It could be as simple as a contact that needs cleaning, or a wire that's just a little loose enough to be intermittent.
Click to expand...
Wire diagrams and me don’t mix lol.


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Boobouna

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Wes said:
Just pull the electrical side of the switch, you release it with a grub screw.
Then insert a flat blade screw driver in the slot and rotate to the ignition position.
If the car fires you know it's the key tumbler :)
Learnt this the hard way.
Click to expand...
So which part number did you buy?


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Wes

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Boobouna said:
So which part number did you buy?


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Click to expand...

I'll dig them out.
Replaced the key tumbler and the barrel and shaft it slots into.
There are heaps of them on ebay as they kept using the same part across several models.
The thing you need to check is what type of electrical switch you have as there are two types.
Will find the thread.
 
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