[DeTomaso] My luck (good fortune) finally ran out :-(

[Larry - Ohio Time Corp.]

Hi Jim,

At first read it sounds like a bad battery or connection. When everything 
goes out on the dash that is the problem. You then slip in that the battery 
is good and all is clean. That said...

Two things I would try.

1. Block the wheels, put trans in neutral. With a large screw driver 
manually turn the motor over by prying against the flywheel at the 
inspection hole. You want to make sure the motor moves and that the starter 
is not jammed into the flywheel.

2. Pick up a remote starter switch ($15 at any store) It will have two long 
leads off of it. One will go to the battery side (large wire going to 
battery) on the solenoid (located on the firewall right side) and the other 
wire to the small wire on the solenoid. Make sure the trans is still in 
neutral!!  Press the remote starter switch. The motor should turn over. If 
it does the problem is most likely the key switch (they like to melt) or the 
switch connection on the column (they like to melt too). If it does not turn 
over I would look at the solenoid or the starter (battery and connections 
too).

Link to switch at Sears
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?pid=00999002000&vertical=Sears&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Good luck.

Larry (in office late Sat night) - Cleveland


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim O'Conner" <pantera1421 at gmail.com>
To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2006 9:28 PM
Subject: [DeTomaso] My luck (good fortune) finally ran out :-(


> Hello All:
> I would appreciate your thoughts/suggestions on the following problem I
> encountered yesterday. I have owned #1421 since late '98. During that
> time the car has never once failed to start (hot or cold) or exhibited any
> electrical gremlins whatsoever. Yesterday it was sunny & in the mid-70s so 
> I
> decided to fire the car up for the first time in 4 months or so. When I 
> turn
> the key to the 1st position, I hear that old familiar, comforting sound of
> the electric fuel pump running - then when I turn the key all the way to
> "START", I hear nothing but "CLICK". I try again & get "CLICK". On a third
> attempt, there is no "CLICK" - only silence. Then I notice that the
> switched electrics on the car seemed to have stop working (interior light,
> red door lights, brake lights, electric fuel pump). If the car is allowed 
> to
> sit for a period of time, it's as if something "resets" & the whole
> procedure can be repeated - still with no spinning of the engine. In a
> self-acknowledged futile attempt to take the easy way out, I took the 4 
> year
> old Optima red top to the Interstate dealer - they test it & conclude "800
> amps - this battery will start anything in the parking lot". So I go back
> home & clean all battery & ground connections in both the front & rear of
> the car. I even removed & cleaned the under-dash ground terminal as well 
> as
> removing & cleaning the hazard flasher terminals (these terminals were all
> clean as a whistle to start with). None of this has made any constructive
> difference. Multiple attempts to start the car have given the same results
> (that is CLICK, CLICK, no engine turn over, shut down of
> switched components, wait a while, repeat the whole fruitless procedure).
>
> I have repeated this process probably 20 times over the past 2 days. To 
> add
> to the confusion (as if this is really necessary), on 1 or 2 of these
> repeated cycles, the starter will engage & turn the engine (remember that
> it's been a while since the engine last ran & that several
> repeated spinnings will be required to fire it up again). It seems to do
> this twice (one turn of the key immediately after the other) - then on the
> 3rd attempt, there is silence on further successive attempts along with 
> the
> accompanying shut down of switched electrics.
>
> I do not see, hear or smell any evidence of big time arcing. So - what do
> you think - ignition switch, solenoid, starter? Thanks for the benefit of
> your collective experiences.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Jim O'Conner
> pantera1421 at gmail.com
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