Intermittent no start issue

[Wayne]

I mentioned the issue I'm having in my build thread but figured I would post here too and try and get the most feedback I can.

Ever since I finished getting my car back together (engine & tranny rebuild, new wiring in the engine bay, new starter, battery, relay, rebuilt alternator) I have had this intermittent issue where it won't start.  Then without doing anything it will start up again...sometimes the same day or next.

When this has happened I have power at the relay on the fender well.  I can jump the relay and it will turn over. 

This past weekend I went and filled it up and wanted to put a few miles on it....2 miles from home it lost power and died.   First time that happened while driving.  Pulled over to a side street and popped the hood.  Nothing obvious...nothing loose that I touched. Get back in the car and it fired right back up.  Went straight home. 

I know some people add an extra ground to the car.  I haven't yet.  just the factory neg. cable going to the intake manifold bolt and the other small wire going to the radiator support in front of the battery.  Those are good clean connections. 

Think I could be needing another ground?

Not really sure what to do now.  Its not so easy to diagnose as 90% of the time it starts and has no issues.  Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.  Feeling pretty bummed that I don't feel safe really driving it now.   Only have 200 miles on the car so far after getting it back together.   

[Bullitt-]

 I'd bet you have poor contact at a connector, either the wide flat one along the steering column or the bulkhead connection at the firewall.
  If it's dying wile running & also won't crank it should be on the power supply side Red wire

[Burdar]

Brown wire=power during crank(start)
Blue wire=power during run
yellow wire=power to relay from ignition switch

Check the flat connector at the base of the steering column.  Probe your test light into the dash harness side of the connector and make sure you have power going through it.  Wiggle the connector around and see if the test light goes out.  I had a similar problem of the car dying on the road.  It turned out to be a loose connection on the blue "run" wire at the base of the steering column.  My car would always crank over though.  Check all the wires on that plug.  If that tests good, move to the bulkhead connector and test that.

It's possible you have a couple different issues.  Your dying problem could be a bad connection on the blue wire.  The no crank could be a faulty NSS.  You can temporarily ground the NSS terminal at the relay and see if it will crank.  Also check for power on the yellow wire at the relay.  You'll always have power on the large relay stud because the battery is hooked to it.

[DeathProofCuda]

I had a similar "Christine-like" intermittent start issue with my Cuda many years ago.  It ended up being a loose connection at the fusible link, where the fusible link ties into the main red wire that goes from the starter relay to the bulkhead connector.  Just another connection you should take a look at.   

Good luck with this.  It can be pretty frustrating when you lose confidence in a vehicle due to an intermittent issue like this.

[anlauto]

When the car "won't start" is there power inside the car, like the dome light etc... ?

When the car "died while driving", is there power inside the car, like the dome light etc... ?

[Scooter]

My money is on the Ammeter....

[Burdar]

It ended up being a loose connection at the fusible link, where the fusible link ties into the main red wire that goes from the starter relay to the bulkhead connector.

If this were the case, then ALL power on the inside of the car would be lost since that's what feeds the interior.  That's a good question for the OP to answer.

[Wayne]

I don't recall if I had power inside the car when it wouldn't start.  I will check that next time...if there is one lol


When it lost power when I was driving I first noticed the gauges actually list power then the engine died.   This never happened before.  I did just put a new ignition switch in the car.  So these might be 2 different problems. 

I will check the suggested connections thus weekend


I appreciate the advice!

[Chryco Psycho]

I would pull all of the connectors & coat everything with di-electric grease .
If it shuts down & restarts the battery is being charged .
Extra grounds cannot hurt but these older cars always ran without them .
Some of the new igns have proven to be faulty , JSRestorations can rebuild your old one though

[anlauto]

  I just had to replace the NEW switch in the Cuda I'm working on...brand new and it never turned the car over once...had power in the car, but no power in start position. real head scratcher at the time.

[Poolshark314]

Following this thread as I seem to be having a similar problem intermittently

[7212Mopar]

Last time my car died while driving and found that I have a broken wire at the ignition coil.

[Wayne]

I would pull all of the connectors & coat everything with di-electric grease .
If it shuts down & restarts the battery is being charged .
Extra grounds cannot hurt but these older cars always ran without them .
Some of the new igns have proven to be faulty , JSRestorations can rebuild your old one though

Thanks for all the replies.  Have some time today to look at it.  Should I put the di-electric grease on the metal contacts as well?   From what I understand its not conductive but is for anti corrosion and keep out moisture correct?

My ignition is now a MSD box and coil without the ballast resistor.

[Chryco Psycho]

Yes use di-electric on the metal it is not an insulator but is designed to allow proper current flow

[Wayne]

Double checked everything in the engine bay and that looked ok.  Went under the dash and looked at the long/flat connector for the ignition switch by the column.  I just replaced it and the red wire wasn't fully seated and looks like it got pushed out when I put the two connectors together.  I was able to get the wire seated properly and made the connection again.  I'm sure thats why it died when I was driving it. 

I am hoping this connection wasn't tight before and thats why it would occasionally not start.  I went out for a drive on Sunday with a friend and put about 30 miles on it.  Stopped a few times and it fired right back up.  I restarted it twice after I got home and it was good.  Hoping that was the issue.

Thanks for the help 

A picture from Sunday.