[mwh]

I went for a brief cruise in my '66 coupe this week. It was daytime so lights weren't on nor was the radio, but I noticed the volts gauge acting weird, spiking down for a bit and then back to normal. Went to start it up yesterday and the solenoid only gave a clicking sound, engine did not turn over, and then nothing at all. I keep it on a trickle charger as it's not driven much, so my first thought was the battery. It's about 3 1/2 years old and it tested as marginal so I replaced it. Installed the replacement and it fired up immediately. I came back to it this morning and solenoid was clicking again and the engine not turning over, and then nothing. The battery charger shows it as fully charged. Terminals are clean and tight. Grounds are good. It has an updated Painless harness and all connections seem good. The alternator is just a year old. That would seem to suggest either the solenoid or the starter as the culprit. Suggestions for tracing or testing?

 

[Woodchuck]

What kind of "clicking"? Once each time you turn the key to "start" or a slow "buzz"?

 

[sixtysevenGTconv]

If battery (takes a charge)and alternator have good output, then my guess is you have the orig style mechanical voltage regulator. Because it has moving parts, they act up. If you have this, replace with early 70's solid state type. bolts right on. Does have low profile cover, that's ok.

 

[mwh]

What kind of "clicking"? Once each time you turn the key to "start" or a slow "buzz"?

Clicking turns to buzz and then nothing

 

[Woodchuck]

Clicking turns to buzz and then nothing

Poor connection, IF the battery is not defective, which it sure sounds like it is.

 

[mwh]

Poor connection, IF the battery is not defective, which it sure sounds like it is.

Not the battery, bought and installed a new one last evening.

 

[mwh]

Thanks everyone, the problem has been found. I sheepishly admit it was something I should have thought of earlier. Since I don't drive it a lot, I installed a disconnect on the negative battery terminal. It failed. No matter how tightly I turned, contact would be made for a moment and then fail. The last time I tightened it, I noticed the power woud flicker on and off a few times and then go off. I removed the disconnect and no more problem.