In the last month I have replace the alternator, battery and tonight i replaced the starter (starter went bad tonight) here is the sequence of events

Starter replaced
first start (starts better then it ever has)
four more perfect starts
10 minute trip down the road
starter just clicks when try to start
I jump start car and it fires right up
4 to 5 more perfect starts
10 minute drive
starter just clicks
jump start car and fires right up
scared to turn car off now so it is currently running (not sure why)

Any Ideas
Car is a 1979 Cutlass Supreme 4.3 260

 

Dirty / corroded battery terminals. They have to be shiny.

What's your battery voltage running / not running?

- Eric

 

Negative battery cable in good shape and connected to the eng block (not frame)?
Yes, battery voltages are needed - please post.

 

Voltage regulator? Places like Sears Auto wil check your charging system for you.

 

It's a '79 - internal regulator, and he's replaced the alternator already. Also, we don't know his charging voltage.

I'm with Rob - bad connection / misrouting / bad cable until proven otherwise.

- Eric

 

Cables are extremely clean.
They are not shiny however...just dull gray??
Ill post a pic tonight.

I will also check volts tonight and post.

It did start right up thus morning and is running great..

Ill update after my 30 minute trip

I brought the jumper cables just in case

 

It almost sounds like the battery is not holding a good charge or is not charging well (despite new alt or batt).
Record voltage at battery with car idling (slow idle) and all accessories off. Next, get a voltage at slow idle with heater fan on high and headlights on. Next, let car sit an hour or more and get a voltage with engine off.

Get measurements at the battery posts and the cable terminals - they should be the same if connections there are good.

If the car sits overnight, whats it like to start it?

 

I had a simular problem when I first got my 69 442!
Long story short, because the po had not re-connected the ground straps from the firewall to the valvecovers, both the positive and negative cables had 'oxidized', causing a green powder in the cables!
Hooking up the grounds and replacing the cables solved the problems as long as I owned the car!!
DO NOT BUY CHEAP CABLES - YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!

 

The mating surfaces of the connectors and the battery should be shiny.
If they are dull grey they are corroded, and can cause exactly the symptoms you are having (intermittent starting), as well as poor charging.

- Eric

 

Mine looked fine until I cut the plastic shielding towards the center - GREEN POWDER INSIDE!!
I figured since I didn't know the origin or age, might spring for new ones, and spent the $25 to eliminate that part of the problem!
Worked for me!!!

 

That'll do it!

- Eric

 

Sounds like a bad connection. Check battery connections ground and most likely place is the starter since it was worked on last. Wire on starter big post could be dirty or loose.

 

Will it start OK once it's cooled down? If so. I'd try a hot start relay. Bypasses the wireing into the car, thru the ignition switch and the neutral safety switch, both of which could have poor connections. Worked for me.