First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List ......................................................................... Good morning! I can't figure out why my 68 coupe won't start. A few weeks ago a puff of smoke came up from around the battery when I turned the ignition key. The engine turned over, but stopped when the smoke came up. I lost the interior lighting at the same time. I found a melted junction block, which I replaced. I regained interior lighting but the car still wouldn't start. I removed the starter and had it tested at Auto Zone. It was OK. I re-installed the starter and replaced the battery (Sears said it was bad), but still nothing. Thinking I may have switched the start and run wires on the starter I took it down and reversed them. This worked: the engine turned over, but made a terrible whining noise and wouldn't stop dieseling. I couldn't turn it off at the switch and had to disconnect the negative battery terminal to turn it off. At this point my frustration level was too high to work on it for awhile. When I went back to the car and tried to reconnect the negative cable the battery terminal and cable sparked and the starter tried to turn the engine. I took down the starter again, had it re-tested (it was still OK), and examined the start and run wire. One of the two had worn insulation and bare wire was showing. I wrapped the wire and re-installed the starter (making sure I replaced the wires just as I'd removed them). This time there was no arcing between the negative cable and battery. But, I'm back to where I was before the arcing incident. I have interior lighting but no fire seems to be getting to the starter. When I turn the ignition key the voltmeter in the car reads between 10 and 12, so something is happening when I turn the key. I'm not sure what to do next. Thanks again for your help! David
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