I checked out the wiring diagram and this is what is buzzing when I try, yes try but fail to start the car. This is a bit perplexing since the car was starting just fine.  I tracked down the electronic choke and the guy the put the car in did not hook the choke up to anything.  Could the relay just be fried?  If so was it caused by this guy not hooking up the choke?  I really wish I would have installed this engine myself...I moved and my new local doesn't have the facilities to do an engine drop. dads2vette2010-08-21 07:26:32

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

I forget, you got the original 350 quadrapuke??  or is it a different engine and carb??

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The relay being damaged/disconnected, or the choke disconnected shouldn't keep the car from starting...might make it run rough until it warms up, but it should start.
What is happening when you "try" to start the car?

All the choke "heater" is is a bi-metallic coil inside of the housing. The relay provides voltage to the coil, and the other end of the coil is grounded. This causes the coil to get hot, causing it to expand(un-coil), and thus moving the choke to the open position.
The relay shouldn't be making any noise, for sure. You can unplug the relay, or connect the loose wire to the coil. There is a 12v power wire from the fuse, and a wire going to the choke housing(coil), and a wire going to the light in the dash. The wire going to the choke also goes to the other side of the dash light. IF there is a problem with the choke coil, the "Choke" light on the dash should light up.


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Joel Adams
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I like my quadrpuke! At least right now that it works!.

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My first parade at Carlisle 2010

What Joel says !!!

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I have a 350 crate motor with edelbrock carb, computer is unplugged.  The car was running fine. Then I put the center console(no guages) back together and the problem started. I thought I grounded something, especially when I heard the relay start buzzing as soon as I tried to start the car.  I unplugged the relay, checked for a short or ground that i may have caused(couldn't find anything) and now I get nothin'.  I'll probably check to see if it'll start by jumping the starter.  We'll see.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Check the conection under the counsole. Is not hte nuetral safy sw connection there? that would keep pwr from the starter solonoid and prevent the starter from engaging

Bob, I thought of that.  I had both nuetral safety switches go on me on the Camaros we restored.  I'll probably change this one out just as a matter of "do it now or rip everything apart and do it next week."

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

So you're saying the starter will not crank the engine? That info was missing from the original post...
9.4 volts won't do it, as you know. With a charger hooked up, and the battery at full charge tho, it should. Depending on which terminals you "jumped", you can either just spin the starter motor, OR engage the solenoid to pop the bendix out while the motor is spinning. When jumping to crank the engine, you need to connect the large center terminal with the smaller terminal closest to the engine block. This will both spin the starter motor, AND engage the bendix. If you jumper to the lower terminal of the solenoid, the one that has the small bolt holding it to the starter motor, it will spin the motor, but not engage the bendix.
You should also check to see if you have a full 12v at the purple wire on the solenoid while trying to start with the key. If you don't have a solid 12v there with the key in "Start", you have either an ignition switch, neutral switch, or wiring problem.
hth


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Joel Adams
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[QUOTE=Adams' Apple]So you're saying the starter will not crank the engine? That info was missing from the original post...hth
[/QUOTE] Details, details, details.  Joel, you are right on all counts. The starter is working.  Still won't crank the engine but I believe it is the low voltage.  I will be charging the battery overnight and check it in the morning.  I bypassed the safety neutral and still got nada.  As far as wiring, I haven't changed aything since I started it up a couple of weeks ago.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Kinda sounding like yer battery may be the real problem. How old is it? A "bad" battery, or one that might have a shorted out section inside can keep from having enough voltage to start the car, even with a charger/booster hooked up....

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Battery is only 6 weeks old but the car hasn't been running so I'm gonna swap it with the battery in my daily driver.  If I have a problem with it while it's in there then I know it's the battery. Thanks,

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Have you thought of a bad bendix? I have seen the sprag on the gear bad..what about the shims..anyone check to see if the gears line up on the flywheel and starter gear? What about the ground or power to the starter?
Rich

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My first parade at Carlisle 2010