lmarquette

Just went to start the car and it ran for a few seconds and stopped. When I tried to start again nothing happened. When I turn the key to the start position there are no clicks or anything. The internal lights do dim just a bit. The battery is new. Plenty of gas. Could the starter have died? HELP!

2blu442

Check your connections, both postive and negative from the battery, if those are good then trace the line to the starter and check it there. I'm guessing you've got a loose connection somewhere. John

MDchanic

Agreed.

Hidden corrosion on terminals, posts, and wire ends is common.
All should shine. Dull lead posts and terminals are corroded.

It's also remotely possible you've got a bad battery, but that's way down the list.

- Eric

Highwayman

A new battery can still be run down. I don't know what tools you have to work with. I also see you have a problem with the gauges in another thread. And is a 53 a 6 volt or 12 volt?


First I'd check battery voltage with a volt meter. It should be at least 12 volts. (Or 6 if it's a 6 volt)


Charge the battery if it's low. Check all of the connections like the others have said.


Since your generator light doesn’t work you should check to see if it's charging with a volt meter when you get it started. You could have simply run the battery down for lack of a working generator.


Check for a drain. The quick dirty way is to take one cable off and use one of those ice pick style test lights. Chip the wire lead to either the battery cable or the battery post and probe the other. If the light lights up, you have a drain. It could be caused by having the door open turning on the dome light or a clock if you have one. If you see a drain with everything turned off, pull fuses one at a time to attempt to isolate.

Tedd Thompson

Check for a bad ground first . The cable should be very large, I think#1 or larger, 6 volt systems take much larger cables than 12 volt and most of the cars of this age have incorrect cables installed.Tractor Supply or like places that supply the farm community have the correct cables and It's doubtful you will find them at your local Pep Boy's or like stores.This is a very common problem in the 6 volt community... Tedd

lmarquette

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the great advice so far. I'm going to test the battery just to be sure it is reading above 12V. If not, I'll give it a jump and see what happens. All of the battery contacts are real clean. Ground is clean as well. Since I'm not hearing the starter solenoid clicking I'll take a look down there to see if it's getting power from the ignition. That's if I can get to it. It's kinda out of my reach. Will have to wait for a warmer day. Will keep you posted on what I find. I did notice that there is one long looks solid black wire with a push on type end near the neutral safety switch that isn't connected. I can't tell if it belongs on there or not since the other wires which are connected have a different style push on connector but dont know what else it could belong to. There's nothing down near it to connect other than that switch.

Tedd Thompson

If your car is a 53 and hasn't been altered it should be 6 volt. I believe they changed to 12 volt in 54...Tedd

lmarquette

Nope not altered. The 53 is a 12 volt.

stetzie

1953 was the first year that Olds had 12 volt ign, systems.
Make sure your battery cables are secure at all ends, especially at the starter solenoid and ground on the left head. Make sure you have no corrosion inside the rubber covering on the cables also. Check them for conductivity. Check the starter solenoid and rebuild or replace it, If this is a new battery, it's possible you may have a gotten defective one. I had a 1953 98 4 sedan and drove it for many years without much trouble. I always enjoyed driving it, and it served me and family well.
stetzie

Tedd Thompson

Whoops my mistake,I'll blame it on the sixties....Tedd

lmarquette

I did just figure out where those extra unconnected black wires go. Looks like they belong to the brake switch since there is nothing connected to that either. That would explain no brake lights.

lmarquette

Just got a bit of a warm day here. Connected those wires to the brake light switch and presto, break lights working. It's the little things.

55/98

If you have not got it started yet , check the back of your key switch for loose connections . Mine did the same thing, loose connection on the back of key switch. Been good ever since.

lmarquette

She's alive! Here's the update. The battery was great and well charged so that wasn't the issue. I ended up whacking the starter a couple of good times and then it started to click when turning the ignition. Two more whacks and presto, she started right up.

So after some further investigation it looks like the previous owner did a bit of fancy re-wiring. There is a wire attached to the positive terminal of the battery running directly to the ignition switch. Also, it looks like they bypassed the neutral safety switch by doubling up both wires on one terminal. The backup lights come on in Neutral or Drive. My guess is that they put the wires back onto the Neutral Safety switch in the wrong place. I have a replacement so that will go back on soon.

The final bit of news is that the temp and gas gauges started to work. Don't have a clue why that started other than maybe a loose wire.

Tedd Thompson

Probably a little corrosion on either the fuses or a connection going or coming from the fuse box. Some vibration and voilà it will work, a little moisture and more corrosion and your problem will reapear....Tedd

lmarquette

Replaced the neutral safety switch and reconnected the wires to the correct terminals. Now the car only starts in neutral and the backup lights only come on when in reverse. Still confused as to why I still need that green wire that someone has attached to the positive terminal of the battery to get the car to work. Without it there are no lights on the inside as well. Must study the wiring diagram a bit more.

Most gauges are working now, including the hydramatic indicator. Just a small tap near the indicator and it popped right up and is working fine. I think it's just getting a little stuck.

The only gauge I can't get to work properly is the ammeter. I'll check the fuses but how this gauge is wired really confuses me. Plus I'm not 100% sure that whatever was done earlier with that green wire isn't somehow all intertwined in that problem.

Tedd Thompson

Just a shot in the dark but could that green wire be bypassing the coil/ballast resistor? does it go from the positive post to the switch then to the coil ? Do you have 12+ volts at the + side of the coil with the keys on run, not start. If that is the case your points won't last long. This should have no bearing on your amp meter though...Tedd

lmarquette

Here's the update for today. There are two fuses in the engine compartment next to the firewall both of which were blown. I replaced them both, reconnected the battery but not that green wire that was attached to the plus of the battery terminal. When I opened the driver door the lights came on and the car will start. So, great now I dont need that green wire. I think one of those fuses was to the ammeter.

The ammeter with the battery connected now reads -30. If you take off the positive cable to the battery the ammeter needle reads directly in the middle between -30 and +30. I reconnected the positive cable and I used my amp meter to test to see if there was a draw from the battery and it read 0. So there is no draw from the battery. The diagram shows another fuse next to the ammeter gauge so that will be my next check tomorrow.

D. Yaros

A -30 reading on the ammeter would indicate a dead short to me? I would be looking at whatever is on the circuit that the green wire is in.

lmarquette

Have all gauges working as they should. Just need to pull off the starter and have that serviced. Hopefully it's not to terrible. I'm sure the thing has never been off the car from the looks of it.

Philberty2g

Thanks for posting, I think this will help me tremendously. I have taken a look at my owners manual and the wiring is definitely a nightmare. I'm gonna start with the fuses and go from there. Brand new battery and it started fine 4 days ago. Of course, NEVER fails until the day of a car show. 🙄

redoldsman

This thread is 9 years old but it hopefully will help you.