1972 starting issues

[Justin Capps]

Hey,
I have a fully charged battery, went to crank and I get nothing when I crank. Radio works, battery is good, new distributor. Any ideas what might be wrong, I've tried everything I can think of and need some input. Thanks!
 

[Bob]

1972 WHAT???
 

[Kris Golden]

I don't know if 1972s had them but how about the neutral safety switch?
 

[John Van Valkenburgh]

Need a little more info.

1. Does the engine turn over. In other words is the starter turning.
2. Is this a case where the engine turns over but won"t catch?

Whats the history here? Is this something that just happened, or are you trying to get it running again after sitting?

Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler?

That should give us a better idea where to start (no pun intended).
 

[cinto]

Check your battery cables for corrosion inside the insulation, if they're white or green and powdery, they won't carry enough current to energize the soleniod.
 

[Jon Hagen]

Yes, rigs with automatic trans have always had a neutral safety switch and manual trans rigs have had a "clutch switch" since 80.
 

[Dennis Benson]

Another general answer would be a seized engine. Did it quit running like it was out of gas? Can you turn the engine over by hand? Does the oil smell burned?
 

[Justin Capps]

It's a 1972 Cheyenne Super. The scenario is this, it started fine, ran fine after I started it. Drove it 3 times. The last time I shut it off and tried to start it to park it back in storage nothing. Completely dead, getting power to the radio and lights. I get no clicking, no noise when I turn the key. Cleaned the battery and distributor, didn't help. I'm running out of ideas for what to try to get it started. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!
 

[Bob]

Is there power to the (+) side of the coil with the ignition switch "ON", meaning power is getting to the ignition switch and SHOULD be available to the section that activates the starter?

The "start" wire leaving the ignition switch will be PURPLE. Is it "HOT" when the key is turned to "START"?

If there's power that far, next voltage check is at the neutral start switch on the top of the steering column down near the firewall (AT) or at the clutch pedal switch (MT) (IF used).

The purple wire then continues through a firewall connector and down to the solenoid on the starter.

It's ALSO possible the solenoid or starter has failed. (If the starter brushed are worn out, there will be NO current through the "pull-in" winding in the solenoid and the solenoid won't engage.)

Sometimes, giving the starter a sharp rap with a plastic mallet or block of wood will jar the worn brushes into contact with the commutator, giving one last start and proving the problem is the starter.
 

[Kruse]

Buy a $5 test light from your local auto parts store and find out where you do and do not have 12 volts. Don't be a parts replacer.
 

[Dennis Benson]

Chevy's like that have a rod from the key switch down the inside of the steering column to the ignition switch. When you turn the key it pulls on the rod and pulls the switch. The rod has a 90 degree bend on each end to fit into the key lock and the switch on the other end. Those get bent over time and don't completely pull the switch into position. They can be bent back and the switch will work again. If you can junp start it on the selenoid it's possible the rod can be the cause.
 

[Bob]

Dennis,

Actually a 1972Chevy pickup would have a conventional keyed ignition switch IN THE DASH.

I know this for sure as my son has one.

The column lock/switch setup started with the 1973 model pickups.
 

[John Van Valkenburgh]

Justin,

You got some good feedback already. Here's what I
would do.

1. Do the lights dim when you try to start? By dim I mean significantly dim. If so, you probably have a bad battery or perhaps one of the battery cables is not making good contact. In this case look for things like the ground wire making good contact.

2. Assuming the lights are not affected by trying to start, you should use a volt meter or inexpensive test light to check at the starter. The starter solenoid (small round mechanism) sits on top of the starter. There will likely be three terminals. One big terminal goes to the battery "+". A second big terminal has a very short fat wire going to the starter. There should be a third smaller terminal. When this terminal gets voltage it activates the solenoid which provides power to the starter. Connect your test light between ground and this small terminal. Try to start. If the light lights, then your wiring through the neutral safety switch etc is okay. If it does not light then the problem is likely not the starter.

Good luck with it,
John
 

[Hal of Washington]

I would suspect the ignition switch or neutral safety switch. To see if the starter and solenoid are working OK, I would hook up a remote starting switch that attaches to the posts of the solenoid. It is important to make absolutely sure that the transmission is in neutral, so there is no chance that the truck could move when you press the start button. If the starter turns the engine over when you engage the remote start switch, you either have a wiring problem or the ignition switch and/or the neutral switch is not working right.

If the problem only occurred when the engine was hot and it had sat for a few minutes not running, I would suspect the problem was in the GM solenoid design. The solenoid would heat-soak and the amount of electricity that it got from the ignition switch wiring was not enough to fully engage the solenoid. The fix for that problem was to use a Ford type solenoid on the fender wall to give full battery power to the GM solenoid. It worked for me.

I also have run into battery cables that had corroded inside the insulation. They looked fine from the outside, but the copper wiring inside had mostly turned to blue powder. The remaining strands of copper were enough to make the lights and accessories work, but the truck would not start well, especially when the engine was hot. New cables fixed that problem for good, but it sure puzzled me for a long time before I figured it out.

But if your pickup has an automatic transmission, I would bet that the problem has to do with the neutral start switch. Good luck!
 

[Dennis Benson]

Oh yes. My memory isn't too good. I should have looked up the part number to get a picture first.