<VV> In need of your expertise: issues with electrical system???

[Harry Yarnell]

Probably the battery terminals need cleaning. Or tightening. Give them a 
quick twist or rap with a hammer, and see if it won't start.Common problem.

Harry Yarnell
Perryman Garage and Orphanage
hyarnell1 at earthlink.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Greg Pirker" <gpirker at adelphia.net>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 10:31 PM
Subject: <VV> In need of your expertise: issues with electrical system???


> Lemme paint a picture before I dive into the problem.
>
> I am the proud owner of a '65 Monza Convertible.  I really enjoy driving
> this car and will find almost any reason to do so.
>
> Friday was a bright and sunny day in Pittsburgh.  Temps in the low 70's.
> Not very windy.  Lots of sunshine.  I was working from home and needed a
> quick break.  This was a picture perfect
> day to take the convertible out for a quick trip to COMP USA.  I was
> enjoying the trip as part of the journey runs on what we 'Burghers call 
> the
> Parkway.  I get to cruise at 60-65 MPH but have lots of exits should I 
> have
> any issues (I lost a belt out there last year and had to fix it on one of
> those exits.  Life saver.)
>
> I got to COMP USA, bought my network switch and a Diet Pepsi.  Got out to 
> my
> Monza.  Put the key in the switch.  Saw the ready lights on the dash.  Not 
> a
> sound from the starter after I turned over the key.  I tried again to the
> same silence.  I had the same issue two other times this summer and was 
> able
> to circumvent it by pulling of the negative battery cable and replacing 
> it.
> Then the car would turn over.  However, this time, it was a goner.  It was
> worse now than before as I had added a total blackout to my problems. 
> There
> were no interior lights, head lights, etc.
>
> I called AAA and had them send me a flat bed to haul my Vair home.  The
> gentlemen who showed up used to own a '66 Monza four door and he gave 
> things
> a quick look.  I told him what had worked before and how I thought it 
> might
> be a dead battery.  He got his emergency jump kit out of the car and 
> jumped
> the Vair to life.  Nice save on his behalf.  I gave him $10 for his time 
> and
> reminisced some more with him about Vairs.  He followed me home on the
> Parkway until we had to take different exits.  With a wave and heartfelt
> gratitude, I turned off and made my way back to the domicile.
>
> When I got home, I pulled the battery and took it to Sears for a test.  It
> turned out to be good and was charged to 540 Amps.  I took the battery 
> home
> and put it back in the Vair.  Things looked good as I once again got the
> ready lights on the dash when I turned over the key.  However, when I 
> tried
> to start the Vair I got a fat lot of nothing.  Now I once again have a 
> total
> blackout as well.  There are no interior lights, head lights, etc.  Very
> strange.
>
> I pulled the battery and gave it a bench test.  It has 12.67 Volts on the
> multimeter and when I tried to charge it on my trickle charge, it says 
> that
> the charge is complete. Things look OK from a battery perspective, but not
> so good from and electrical perspective.
>
> I have been working on this beast for almost five years and taught myself
> almost everything I know. My dad passed away in 2000 otherwise I would 
> have
> called him first.  He would have driven over, fixed the problem with a 
> bobby
> pin, a gum wrapper, the shoelace from his sneaker and a beer bottle top,
> proceed to give me some crap about not knowing what the problem was, and
> then drive back smiling ear to ear, proud as hell for helping his son 
> become
> a car fanatic too.
>
> Any hints, tips, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanx in advance for your assistance.
>
> Greg Pirker
> Doer of Great Deeds, Champion Over Evil
> Not so hot with the Vair (at least this week)
>
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