I've got a '73 Riv that won't start. At least it died in the driveway. I've tried a few things and it still isn't starting. It's got me a bit perplexed. I've got the Service Manuals from '71 and '74 and think it's more like the '71 as it doesn't have any seatbelt interlock stuff. Here's the story... I went to start it and it cranked for a split second and the nothing. No click from the solenoid at all. I checked the battery voltage and terminals there. Still nothing. Charged the battery and used the charger for a boost. Yep... Nothing. So I dropped the starter and gave it a bench test. Basically a short from the solenoid "S" terminal to starter housing and same from the "tang" to the starter and housing. Connected a spare battery + to the solenoid positive post and the - to the housing, jumped the post to the "S" terminal and it snapped and spun. The starter is OK. That means there's a wiring problem and it looks to be acting weird. I rigged a test light (1157 bulb with wires soldered to it) and clipped it between the solenoid wire and the chassis. Turned it on and nothing. Tried the yellow (spark boost) line and nothing. Tried the solenoid wire (purple) again and got some action. First the buld was dim and then it was coming on nice and bright. "Oh... Must work." To help out the 47yo wiring, I cut off the end of the purple and yellow wires, which were bare, and soldered in a new piece and connector. Put in the starter and... nothing. I'm going to go back and bug out the solenoid line again while attached. Looking through the wiring diagrams, it seems pretty straight-forward. I think the #1 problem may be neutral safety switch and I did try moving the shifter to N and P and wiggling it. Something odd that I noticed was the radio was acting up while trying things out. Maybe like it wasn't getting a good voltage. Also, after giving it a try, the GEN light doesn't come back on. Turn the switch off and on and the GEN light comes on. Start it (and get nothing) and the GEN isn't ON with the car in run. Maybe nothing or something I haven't noticed before. Any ideas on what to look for? The '71 manual says the solenoid should be powered pretty simply: ignition switch to neutral safety to harness connector to the solenoid. Thanks!
do your headlights still work? if not, check one of the two fusible links at the starter do the wipers work with the key in the on position? if not, something is wrong with the ignition switch
Before you go crazy, the first thing I would check are the battery connections. Take them off, use a battery terminal tool to clean the posts and the terminls. If you have a set of the bolt on, auto parts store style terminals, unbolt the battery cable and make sure the copper wires arent corroded. Get yourself a digital volt ohm meter! You should battery voltage at the lug on the starter where the cable connects. It should not drop below 10 volts on crank. The purple wire should have 12 volts on crank. If the starter bench tested good, you have good connections and 12v on the purple wire on crank, it will start
You can temporarily jump the purple wires at the neutral safety switch to eliminate the switch as the problem. Then check at the ignition switch. It's just a matter of following that purple wire to find where you are losing continuity. I have started cars in the past when there was a problem and I didn't have time to diagnose, and needed the car to start. I would turn the key to run, crawl under there and use a screwdriver to short between the big lug on the solenoid to the purple "S" terminal. Yeah, it sparks, but the starter cranks, the engine starts, and away I go until I can fix the problem properly.
Well... Still not working. A voltmeter across the S terminal shows only 0.4V when in the ON position. I cleaned the terminals of the battery and the replacement battery terminal connectors to the cables. (Good guess 64203!) Nope. Then checked the ancient wiring harness splice. Those re all soldered together. The electrical tape was unraveling but on opens there. Got underneath the dash and checked the safety switch. 12.4V on the purple/white wire. Still doesn't start with a purp/whte-to-purple jumper in. The deal is that it blacks-out the car. Maybe the ground strap? I've got to turn the car fully off for a moment and then it'll come back on. Sometimes if it's switched off/on quickly there's nothing. No door lights. No radio. Frustrating. My first thought was "bad battery connection" and I think that's it but just not at the battery or starter. I ohmed-out the fusable link lines and those seemed OK.
Bad main connection at the starter. I'd take it apart for a better inspection. Sounds like you are losing everything. Maybe the main fusible link is intermittent. Do you have headlights when it is dead?
Nope... It's a bad battery. Just 4 years old. Never seen cold. Maybe 4000 miles of use. The car "blacked out" not only when keying the starter but when turning on the headlights. A quick check showed the battery voltage dropped to 7V and then crept back up. I've never seen anything like it. Charge it and it showed 12.5. That's a tad lower than I'd expect but not really suspicious. Thanks for your help and suggestions!
