Freddy B

I have a 71 cutlass, when I try and start the car the starter only clicks. I had the starter and battery tested. I was told the starter check out well but the battery had 10.4 volts. So I had them charge the battery over night and when I pick it up I was told it had 12 volts.

When I installed the battery in the car and turned the key it only click again. I replaced the starter battery cable and cleaned all the terminals on the battery and starter. I am out of ideas as to what the problem is so I am asking my fellow rocket owners to give me some idea as to what could be the issue.

oldcutlass

Double check your connections on the battery, starter, and ground straps, to make sure they are clean and tight. Make sure all your cables look serviceable as they do corrode inside the wire! See if you have the same voltage at the big terminal on the starter as the battery.

If all the above checks good, then jumper the "S" terminal to the big terminal on the starter and see if it cranks! Make sure your in park with the E-brake on before attempting this!

If still does not start, give the side of the starter a couple of good whacks with a BFH, and try again!

Lady72nRob71

10.4V at the battery indicates a possible dead cell in the battery. Now that it is charged, what does it measure? Hope you have a volt meter.
A bad battery can be brought up to 12V, but as soon as a load is applied, it will drop a lot.

MDchanic

1. A fully charged modern "maintenance-free" lead / antimony / calcium battery is 12.6 volts fully charged, a bit more if you just pulled it off the charger. If it had 12 volts after an overnight high-current charge (assuming fresh off the charger), then it was nearly dead.

2. It sounds as though your connections are in order if you cleaned them all until they were shiny, and if the ground goes right to the engine block.

Try a different battery, like one from another car that you own.

- Eric

frankr442

If it cranks when jumping to the "S" terminal as oldcutlass suggested, check all connections on that wire at the ignition and neutral safety switch. I used to underestimate the effect of voltage drop thru that wire untill I developed a hot start problem. You could add a relay which bypasses that long run of wire and connections. I've pushed this setup on a few people I know with good results. If interested, google " Scotts Nova Resource". I used the alternative method at the bottom of the page.