Please help...Intermittent no-start!

[mr_udy]

Hope someone can help me. I have a '73 Opel GT that sometimes does not start. Specifically, I turn the key and all I hear is a "click". Sounds like a switch or relay...not the starter.

Ussually, if it doesnt start, I simply try again a few times and then it starts. However, tonight...I thought I was stranded. Even tried to "Pop start" it a few times along with re-trying with the key in between. I finally gave up, called for a ride. While waiting for a ride, I tried again....it started right up!

If I remember from the past, this occurs almost all the time when I try to start the car when the headlights or some other accessory is already on. Turn off the accessory, and it starts.

Hope I can figure this out soon...kinda thinking of driving it to Carlisle!

[baronbors]

Ignition switch burn out?

[hrcollinsjr]

Something that improved a similar problem on mine was to tighten the center connections in the fuse panel. There are four posts in the center with red and red/white wires attached. I took the top brass nuts off (8 mm) and removed the wires from the terminals. I then tightened the nuts underneath and reattached the top wires and nuts. You might even want to take the bottom set of nuts off and make sure they are making good contact. The electrical is on the weak side especially after this many years, I wouldn't try to start an Opel with any accessories on. Too many years of corrosion on a barely adequate system to begin with. JM2CW.

HTH,

Harold

[simplemind7]

when it does start, does it turn over slowly?

if so, then either your battery is weak and can't turn over the engine or you have a loose/corroded connection, my money would be on the connection because it works sometimes.

[Rionart]

Originally Posted by baronbors Ignition switch burn out?

That's where I'd be looking....

[simplemind7]

i may be wrong, but i think if the ignition switch was burnt out, it wouldn't make any sound or do anything at all, would it? but it makes a clicking sound

[asdasc]

Take your battery cables off and use one of those battery brushes to clean up the terminals and the inside of the cable ends. Put them together again and tighted them well. I am very confident this is part of the problem. What happens is that you get an intermitant weak connection. Probably have more trouble with it when it gets warm or sets for long periods without being started.

Also, a hint for if you are stranded, pour Coca-Cola over the battery terminals and wait a few minutes. The acid in the Coke eats away the oxidation and whatever else is in there and leaves a good connection for a while.

Good luck.

[baronbors]

When mine went out it would intermittantly make good contact and then sometimes not. Never knew it it was a good start day or not. Same symtoms as described. I would do a starter switch bypass and see if it solves the problem- easy to do and may eliminate the switch quickly. If it is the switch -get an OTTO Start

[GTJIM]

Here is a link to the ignition switch rebuild thread:

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1a-star...gnition+switch

The poor wee switch has 10 to 15 amps passing through it in the starter circuit and this 'fries' it. Otto starts reduce this to 1 to 2 amps letting the switch work for much longer.

[mr_udy]

Thanks for the tips...I'll try them this weekend and let you all know. Got to get some confidence in the car so I can drive it to Carlisle!

[wrangler]

And if nothing else.. make sure the grounds are making GOOD contact. So often this is over-looked and is the source of many problems. The battery makes neg contact to the frame, and then there is a ground strap from the frame to the engine block. I even went as far as runnuing a 2 gauge battery line from the neg to frame connection, up to the frame to block connection. Started right up! You might not need/want to run a 2 Ga line, but at least undo the connections, clean them, then coat with dieltric grease.

[davegt27]

Another thing you want to do is go to the starter and check the connections there

They are push on female spade terminal connections and some times they are loose or dirty.

Also head over to the parts store and buy an automotive relay (around $10)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SPDT-...spagenameZWDVW


And do this

http://www.opelgt.com/photos/showpho...0/ppuser/11407

The voltage from the ignition switch now energizes a relay instead of the starter solenoid

When the relay energizes the starter solenoid gets full voltage

HTH
Davegt27

[Gordy]

Last week end I again came out to find my GT battery dead because a turn signal was left on. Seems no matter how careful one is it happens from time to time. I went on line and ordered 2, 1 for each GT, battery saver cut offs and will put them on this week end. They connect to the positive battery terminal and if there is a power draw on the battery when the car is not running the device disconnects the power when battery voltage declines to 11.7 volts. However when the ignition switch is turned on it automatically resets the device so the vehicle will start without any other steps. They were $69 each and seem to be an easy install. Will let you know how it works.

[Dmcbrass]

Gordy,
There must be something additional wrong to cause the battery to discharge with only the turning signal left on. The turning signal circuit is disconnected from the battery when the key is turned off.

[namba209]

Originally Posted by Dmcbrass The turning signal circuit is disconnected from the battery when the key is turned off.

Not necessarily true, if the car has the euro wiring in the steering column, when the turn signal lever is placed in a left or right turn position with the key removed, the lites for the position selected will be on. It's a euro safety feature.

[baz]

Originally Posted by namba209 Not necessarily true, if the car has the euro wiring in the steering column, when the turn signal lever is placed in a left or right turn position with the key removed, the lites for the position selected will be on. It's a euro safety feature.

we call it a "parking light" and in some countrys it is a requirement by law

[maglinjosvinn]

Originally Posted by asdasc Take your battery cables off and use one of those battery brushes to clean up the terminals and the inside of the cable ends. Put them together again and tighted them well. I am very confident this is part of the problem. What happens is that you get an intermitant weak connection. Probably have more trouble with it when it gets warm or sets for long periods without being started. Also, a hint for if you are stranded, pour Coca-Cola over the battery terminals and wait a few minutes. The acid in the Coke eats away the oxidation and whatever else is in there and leaves a good connection for a while. Good luck.

that was the problem at the car show wasn't it asdsc?! lol. that fraekin GT. cleaned it up again the other day...

good luck man.

[maglinjosvinn]

Originally Posted by baz we call it a "parking light" and in some countrys it is a requirement by law

always curious - why? lol. i don't see any reason to have lights on one side of the car in park like that... definately if the car is turned off.

[maglinjosvinn]

Originally Posted by mr_udy Hope someone can help me. I have a '73 Opel GT that sometimes does not start. Specifically, I turn the key and all I hear is a "click". Sounds like a switch or relay...not the starter. Ussually, if it doesnt start, I simply try again a few times and then it starts. However, tonight...I thought I was stranded. Even tried to "Pop start" it a few times along with re-trying with the key in between. I finally gave up, called for a ride. While waiting for a ride, I tried again....it started right up! If I remember from the past, this occurs almost all the time when I try to start the car when the headlights or some other accessory is already on. Turn off the accessory, and it starts. Hope I can figure this out soon...kinda thinking of driving it to Carlisle!

if the headlights are up, the relay under the dash will click on 'key on'

*shrug* maybe thats teh sound source.

[baz]

it was a law in many european countrys that the side of the car that was next to traffic had an amber marker light to show that there was a car there at night (it could be a law in 1 county here and not the next,there are still areas in this country that have little or no street lights in villages )

[namba209]

Originally Posted by maglinjosvinn always curious - why? lol. i don't see any reason to have lights on one side of the car in park like that... definately if the car is turned off.

Well then I can only presume you've never been to European countrys. The streets are very narrow in the villages and double parking is a natural state of affairs. Picture yourself driving at nite in a village that has no street lites, you turn a corner, and in front of you less than six feet away are three cars, two parked side by side and the third is on the opposite side of the street and there is only room, barely, for you to drive through the gap. Now if you had turned at a high rate of speed and your headlites only picked up the one car, not the two side by side, the natural inclination would be to turn away from the single car. So, to negate that problem Euro cars are required by law to have the parking lites on when parked off the curb. So with the key removed, (you don't want the car to be stolen), and the turn signal lever placed in the outside position of the car, those lites, as Baz said, correctly called parking lites, will be on. When I visited Italy some years ago, it was not uncommon for 3-4 or even more cars to be parked side-by-side. HTH.

[maglinjosvinn]

heh... i'm just thinking about what'd happen to my battery in the morning when i tried to go to work if i had to follow by that, but it does make some sense indeed.

[jordan]

Originally Posted by maglinjosvinn heh... i'm just thinking about what'd happen to my battery in the morning when i tried to go to work if i had to follow by that, but it does make some sense indeed.

That is why only one side's side markers are on when the 'parking' lights are on less of a power draw so hopefully your battery doesn't die overnight.

[wrangler]

Originally Posted by maglinjosvinn heh... i'm just thinking about what'd happen to my battery in the morning when i tried to go to work if i had to follow by that, but it does make some sense indeed.

Well, first, this feature is most often used when parked half on the street in the city, on narrow streets as Namba said. Not at your home, so it hopefully would not be left on from dusk til dawn. 2nd, even if it should drain your battery because you parked longer than your battery could power a parking light and still start your car... which is easier? A jump/push start, or body repair and a paint job? And 3rd... when not in need of such a feature, it is always possible to NOT have the parking light turned on. Kinda like a parking brake... a pain in the a** to have engaged when you are driving, but nice to have when parked on a hill... and it can always be disengaged.