So I bought this 77 cutlass from the junk yard a few months ago.... I got it started up and I've been driving it around a bit. I need to get it out of my garage to get my parts car in there but now it won't start. When i turn the key nothing happens except for the "hot" light turns on in the dash. The headlights turn on and I checked the battery and everything looks good there. I thought it was maybe the ignition fuse but interestingly enough there isn't even a fuse in that spot.
Could anybody give me some advice on what to check next? Thanks.

 

What happens to the headlights if you turn them on and try to crank the engine at the same time? Do they dim a little, not dim at all, or go very dim/almost out?

Any noises while trying to crank it?

 

To add to what sugar bear suggests, are all the terminals clean at the batt and the starter, what about the fusible link at the starter? Could it be the control module under the distributor cap ?

 

Wiggle the shifter, maybe not completely in park and also try in neutral.

 

+1. Using your left hand, over the column, pull the column shift lever toward you to unlatch it, then up above Park, which holding the ignition switch in the Start position.
If that doesn't work, move the shift lever the opposite way, and try Neutral and the area around it.

If that doesn't work, pull the plug from the neutral safety switch, short the terminals with the purple wires with a paper clip, MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN PARK, and start it up.

- Eric

 

Yeah, this sounds a lot like a neutral safety switch issue.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. The headlights don't dim when I turn the key and I already checked the battery terminals. I will have to try some of your other suggestions after work.

Oh.....How was the car starting with no fuse in the ignition spot? Did somebody hardwire it or something?

 

There is not fuse for the cranking circuit or the ignition (running) circuit.

- Eric

 

I think what your looking at is the supply terminal for any accessories you want to add requiring the ignition key to be turned to "ignition". It is not a fuse location. Think of it as an open spot on your house electrical panel for use later. Follow the suggestions provided and see if any of them work.

 

Have you had any luck diagnosing the problem?

 

Well. I tried to wiggle the shifter and I shorted the purple wires on the neutral safety switch but that didn't work.
Could it be the engine is stuck? The little 260 was using coolant. If it was leaking into one of the cylinders it could cause it to lock up, right? Or not?
It was running well when I parked it.

 

Can you put a socket on the crank nut and turn it by hand? Have you had to add antifreeze often?

 

Check it by hand. If engine is stuck you should be able to hear the solenoid engage. Headlights should also dim. Check volts at solenoid. What volts do you show at battery while cranking?

 

I turned the engine over with a breaker bar so I guess it isn't stuck. I also wiggled the wire around that I used to short the purple wires on the neutral safety switch just to make sure that it was getting a connection.

I don't have a meter to measure cranking volts. I did take the battery out and connected it to my charger and my charger said that it had 12.3 volts.

The mystery persists.

 

So it won't crank at all as of yet? not even a click at the starter? Hit the starter with a hammer a few times and see if that makes a difference. Don't pile drive it, just a few good wacks.

 

Put a known good battery in it first...

 

Check wiring at starter for tightness. Starter ground maybe.
Simple voltmeters are cheap, test lights are too.

 

12.3v should still crank the engine.

 

Time for the jumper.

Battery (+) to the S terminal on the starter solenoid.

- Eric

 

If a car battery measures only 12.3 V with no load on it, it's pretty much dead. It's not surprising it won't crank.

 

12.3 is 70%, not dead.

 

I would think if it was a battery the headlights would dim or go out. 12.3 ain't great, but volts under load would tell more.