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1976 Firebird - Problem getting car to start.
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Posted: 09/01/08
02:56 PM
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I have a 76 firebird. engine is 6.6L 400. i have fuel, the battery is fine, but i cant seem to get the engine to turn over. the only sound i hear is a rapid clicking sound. there is no response from the engine itself, just clicking. it sounds like its coming from the distributor. i took the distributor apart and had someone turn the key. the rotor isnt moving at all. i checked it, and it's not stuck. i can move it freely with my hand.
Does anyone know where this problem is coming from??? Ive never encountered a problem like this so i would appreciate any advice i could get.
Thanks
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waynep712
Enthusiast
| Posts: 436
| Joined: 10/07
Posted: 09/01/08
08:34 PM
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Dirty battery cables......
hot water to clean them after you take them off the battery.. a stainless steel tooth brush from the hardware store to clean the corrosion off.. be sure to work the bolt out of the rubber surround on the end of the original cables.. then with the hot water softening it up.. pull the plastic cover over the brass end.. then clean it.. and the bottom of the bolt...
warning... i have found that some batterys have too shallow a hole for the stock length factory side terminal special bolts.. they tighten in to the bottom of the hole .. but do not tighten the terminal to the lead contact...
the other thing to look at.. ... are the belts and crank turning??? and not the dist shaft.. if so.. the plastic upper timing gear has stripped and the teeth have fallen off.. this happens on many cars from the later 60's and through the 70's.. when plastic cam gears/sprockets were installed.. so replacing the timing chain set ir required... please.. use a steel gear set... or a double roller set.. you don't have to go crazy with high end set in a street car..
if the gear did fail.. you also want to pull the oil drain plug and wash the pan out with a garden sprayer with some solvent of some kind in it.. to get the little plastic bits out of the pan.. (paint thinnner works good) dropping the pan in those is really hard...
OH!!! beware.. on poncho motors... there are usually 3 or 4 , 3/8 studs that hold the water pump and the timing cover on... these get corroded... sometimes making it almost impossable to remove the timing cover.. other times snapping off the studs.. there are also pieces behind the water pump in the timing cover.. water pump tube seals..... these need to be changed also in many cases after a lot of years.. sometimes the water pump plate... they don;t come with the new water pumps.. new timing covers are also available..
i bet there will be some tech articals over here..
http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/techarticles/index.html
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Posted: 09/02/08
05:02 AM
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also check the wire going to the starter solenoid.
Professional hi-performance engine builder
Horsepower sells Engines and torque wins races.
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Posted: 09/02/08
06:39 AM
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That clicking noise is the solenoid. If you're 100% certain the battery is good, then it's gotta be the battery cables. Clean/replace them both.
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69camaro1
New User
| Posts: 24
| Joined: 06/07
Posted: 12/12/08
03:11 PM
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It does sound like the battery cables. To check it put a volt meter on the positive post of the starter and negitive to a ground somewhere. and If you see more than 1.5 volts dropped compared to the battery voltage itself than it is in fact the cables.
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TomO
New User
| Posts: 6
| Joined: 04/09
Posted: 04/27/09
08:46 PM
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My guess, it is the solenoid. It has been my experience if it is only a single click it is a battery or battery cable problem. With multiple clicks the solenoid is failing to engage the flywheel. I had a 1976 Firebird, Formula 400. Great car; had it for 20 years and put over 200,000 miles on it. The amazing thing is I never had to pull the heads or do anything to the short block. Rebuild the carb, replace the water pump, radiator and rebuild the transmission. I completely restored the car in 1985. Best car I have ever had. I hope this helps.
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Posted: 08/07/09
09:26 PM
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my father had the same problem and it was on going for a long long time a rapid clicking was the only sound and we found it was the starter get a friend and as ur turning the key have them knock the starter with a rode and hammer my dads friend did that and it started right up but ull have 2 get a new starter if it is that
warning hit the starting u will get shocked if u hit the battery wires
don't crush restore
chevyforlife
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