1973 Charger won't start

After an embarrassingly long time away from it I have started working on my 1973 Charger project again and having some issues getting it to crank. Battery is reading good and it has a new starter. Is there something else with the factory ignition system I should be looking at?

I am not sure what you mean by "battery is reading good", but a battery can measure 12v, but still not have the "capacity" to provide the current to start the engine. Basically, while not under load, the battery reads fine (12v), but under a load (powering the starter), the cells break down and cannot support the current demand.

After checking your battery and ground connections...

A few things:
1. Find the starter relay (usually a yellow wire pulls in the relay).
2. Neutral safety switch on the transmission this is the ground for pulling in the starter relay(usually a brown wire).

Start there see if it will crank by jumpering the relay if necessary. Then trouble shoot from there:
1. Bad relay
2. Safety switch
3. Power problem getting through the bulkhead connector on the firewall.
We've had some people here experience problems with the primary cables (heavy battery wires as well).

Does your car have the seat belt safety switch?

This is a 69 but I think the starter relay is the same. Wire 54-188R goes to neutral safety switch. I also had a Key switch break internally once. This relay should be on the firewall near brake master cylinder.

BTW, your video is "private." We can't see it.

Check (more or less in this order if you can):
-battery (take it to an auto parts store and have them load-test it)
-ground wire (negative terminal-->engine block) loosen the bolt, scuff the surfaces with steel wool/scotchbrite/sandpaper, make sure there's a star-washer.
-while you have the ground wire disconnected, do the same with the connections on the starter and at the starter relay.
-re-connect the 'heavy' wires snugly. Also check the (small) ground wire at the starter relay for good conductivity.
-find, borrow, or steal a volt meter. Disconnect the yellow wire from the starter relay and jam it onto the end of the positive probe. Stick the negative probe to a good ground (if it reaches to the battery post clamp, great!) Put the meter in a position where you can see it through the windshield. Turn the key to crank, and see if you get voltage.
-whether you do have voltage or not, short the yellow-wire terminal on the starter relay to the big lug while the key is on. It should crank. If not, it's a bad starter.
-Now you've narrowed the problem down to the weakest points: The ignition switch and the bulkhead connector on the firewall, along with the yellow wire in between.

-Find the yellow wire under the dash as it comes out of the steering column, disconnect the molex connector, switch the meter to Ohms and meter between the THICK red wire and smaller yellow wire coming out of the column for continuity with the key on crank. This will check the ignition switch.
-check continuity on the yellow wire between the starter relay (keep it disconnected from the relay) and the other side of the molex connector under the dash. Put the meter on the cowl or the corner of the dashboard, the leads should reach. Put it on "beep" continuity, attach the meter leads securely to each end, and wiggle the bulkhead connector to see if the beeping gets intermittent.
-Most likely it's the bulkhead connector, but if you've verified everything else, you know it's all good. You can run and splice in a new wire through the firewall to the switch as a quick fix.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for letting me know. I changed the status on youtube.

I had the battery checked at the store and they said all looked on the load tester.
I checked the grounds for tightness but I will pull them off and scuff. Then run through the rest of things listed above and see what I find.

I appreciate the knowledge.

JohnDizzy said:

Thanks for letting me know. I changed the status on youtube.

I had the battery checked at the store and they said all looked on the load tester.
I checked the grounds for tightness but I will pull them off and scuff. Then run through the rest of things listed above and see what I find.

I appreciate the knowledge.

Click to expand...

The link still does not work, st least for me....it wants the viewer to sign in for the premiun edition....it says something about needing permission. BTW.....I do not subscribe to any of the social media venues, or want to....perhaps this is reason...
BOB RENTON

I can view the video just fine.
Sounds like the starter bendix is driving out, then when the motor tries to kick in you are either getting a voltage drop or something is causing the drive arm to retract.
When enough voltage returns then the starter relay or the bendix drives out again causing the machine gun type action.

1. Does the motor turn over freely with a bar?
2. This could be from a bad primary (thick ) battery cable or bad connection.
3. Maybe a bad starter, plenty of "new" parts today are junk right out of the box or last 2 weeks.
4. It's possible but unlikely that it's the way the starter was installed.

It does sound like the battery is good.
1st try finding the starter relay and jump the ignition terminal to the battery terminal. (Pull the relay in manually)
It's possible the relay is dropping in and out for some reason.

But maybe try jumping the battery or a different battery cable to the starter.
Or pull the starter and jump the body to a good ground and check it loose it should drive out the gear and spin like a top.
Careful it will try to turn and jump a bit that motor has some torque.

Since you have checked your connections and cleaned off your ground points, next are a few simple tests which others have pointed to. This is to test the starter function, not the ignition/running function.
Using a picture of the starter relay previously posted by a FBBO member.



Step 1, Ignition off, car in neutral - Short terminals "B" & "S". An old unwanted screwdriver works just fine. This will provide 12V direct to the starter solinoid & starter. This will be bypassing the relay and everything behind the two poles. If the starter reacts as a good starter should, the starter will spin and continue to spin as long as you maintain that short. You have just tested the starter and the solenoid.
Step 2, Ignition off, car in neurtal - Short terminals "B" and "I". You are now testing the starter relay by simulating power from the Keys Start position. If it does not turn the starter, then you have one of two possibilities, 1 the relay is bad or 2 ground is not present at terminal "G" (from Neutral Safety Switch, Ground supplied PK and Neutral only).
If all functions properly at that point we keep looking back at the points to test. The next item is the ignition switches responsibility to provide 12V to terminal "I" on the starter relay. It's time to get out the old voltmeter and someone inside at the switch start looking for voltage.

moparvinson said:

Does your car have the seat belt safety switch?

Click to expand...

that's on 74s

JohnDizzy said:

Thanks for letting me know. I changed the status on youtube.

I had the battery checked at the store and they said all looked on the load tester.
I checked the grounds for tightness but I will pull them off and scuff. Then run through the rest of things listed above and see what I find.

I appreciate the knowledge.

Click to expand...

Is that a machine gun? LOL

It sounds like the starter bendix is coming in/out really fast. I don't think is a relay problem, but the jumping setup has already explained to check for that. MY bid is some failure on starter motor solenoid... or loosen conection there.

moparvinson said:

Does your car have the seat belt safety switch?

Click to expand...

Interesting point....you're the first person I've heard to mention that. My car (1975 fury sport) was originally equipped with that but at some point it was removed. I think maybe even some dealers removed it. There is a reset button on a module near the ECU that has to be pressed to reset the system and allow it to be started.

Interlock system doesn't allow to crank, and your starter is attempting to crank, so it wouldn't be that if it was a 74 an later.

Shorthorse said:

Since you have checked your connections andView attachment 1000568 cleaned off your ground points, next are a few simple tests which others have pointed to. This is to test the starter function, not the ignition/running function.
Using a picture of the starter relay previously posted by a FBBO member.

View attachment 1000568

Step 1, Ignition off, car in neutral - Short terminals "B" & "S". An old unwanted screwdriver works just fine. This will provide 12V direct to the starter solinoid & starter. This will be bypassing the relay and everything behind the two poles. If the starter reacts as a good starter should, the starter will spin and continue to spin as long as you maintain that short. You have just tested the starter and the solenoid.
Step 2, Ignition off, car in neurtal - Short terminals "B" and "I". You are now testing the starter relay by simulating power from the Keys Start position. If it does not turn the starter, then you have one of two possibilities, 1 the relay is bad or 2 ground is not present at terminal "G" (from Neutral Safety Switch, Ground supplied PK and Neutral only).
If all functions properly at that point we keep looking back at the points to test. The next item is the ignition switches responsibility to provide 12V to terminal "I" on the starter relay. It's time to get out the old voltmeter and someone inside at the switch start looking for voltage.

Click to expand...

Another possibility is the high current contract inside the solenoid (the same solenoid that shifts the starter pinion to engage the ring gear) has burned moving (spring loaded copper disc) or the 2 stationary contacts (also copper). This contact arrangement makes and breaks the high current (400-500 amps) that allows the starter to work. The start relay just operates the starter's solenoid and high current circuit contacts. The start relay only handles approximately 15% of the starter current total draw.with the balance switched by the starter's solenoid. The FSM shows the location and orientation of these parts.
BOB RENTON