First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List ......................................................................... Hello, Chris, Wayne and Andy! Well, I started at the very basics. I bought a test light, went to the internet and typed in "how do I use a test light", went to my car and hooked it up to the battery. When the light didn't burn I was sure I'd bought a defective light. I shook it a few times and hooked it up again. It still didn't burn. After some more shaking, clamping and testing I thought, "well, maybe the battery is bad". I took it out of the car and delivered it to our local Sears auto shop where they told me the battery was bad. (I guess it goes to show you it doesn't matter whether or not you've charged the battery. A bad battery is a bad battery.) I haven't installed the new one yet. It's nearly 10pm here, and my '68 sounds great when it's running. The neighbors may not appreciate it as much as I do. I'm pretty sure the car will run after I install the new battery. My next question: why does it keep going through batteries? This is the third one I've gotten for it since May 05. Sears is going to stop honoring my warranty. I think I may still get the chance to use all the great teaching you sent my way over the past few days. Thanks again! (redfaced) David
----- Original Message ---- From: Andy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: First Generation Firebird-L <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 12:00:23 PM Subject: Re: [FGF] 68 won't start First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List ......................................................................... Hi David, If you only have a continuity tester, you will have to modify Chris' instructions or buy a test light or voltmeter (I recommend a voltmeter). A continuity tester is used to check a segment of a circuit (usually a wire) to detect any opens. You can use it to troubleshoot this problem, but it won't be as easy as checking for voltage. Do any other circuits in the car work, like the clock or horn? If you can find no working circuits at all, there are a few quick and fundamental things to check. First, you want the battery posts and cable terminals to be free of corrosion. Next, check that there is a smaller gauge wire running from the ground terminal at the battery to the passenger-side fender. You can remove the wire at the fender and test it for end-to-end continuity. If it's good, reattach it and make sure the connection is snug. Next, check for a similar wire running from the positive terminal at the battery to a small terminal block mounted on the radiator core support just under the passenger-side fender. In this case you want to be careful to avoid accidentally shorting things out, so first remove the cable from the positive battery terminal, then remove the wire from the terminal block and check it for end-to-end continuity. If it's good, reconnect the wire first to the terminal block, then to the battery terminal. Let us know the results of your tests. If all of those things check out, you will better off investing in an inexpensive voltmeter to continue troubleshooting. Andy David Lasseter wrote: >First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List >......................................................................... >Hello, Andy, ><snip> > >I have a continuity tester and am getting started troubleshooting the system >as Chris instructed me. When you say measure the voltage across the cable >clamps and not just the posts, would I clip the tester to one cable and check >the other, or would I clip the tester to the frame or engine block? Thanks >for your help. Obviously this is something new for me and I'm learning how to >work this problem. > >David > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submissions to Firebird-L: <[email protected]> Unsubscribe from Firebird-L: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Help: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/firebird/Firebird-L.html> Classifieds: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/ubb/> Owner Pictures: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/show/> Donations: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/store/cart.mv?999999> FGF Merchandise: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/store> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submissions to Firebird-L: <[email protected]> Unsubscribe from Firebird-L: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Help: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/firebird/Firebird-L.html> Classifieds: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/ubb/> Owner Pictures: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/show/> Donations: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/store/cart.mv?999999> FGF Merchandise: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/store>
