Starter issues (must read)

mcm73

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360/904 '76 RR. 904 recently rebuilt. It has a manual reverse valve body and aftermarket converter. After reinstalling trans and new b&m pro stick shifter of course came starter install. No issues prior to this. Now when trying to start about I revolution and started drags to a stop like battery may be down...not the case battery is fine. Here's the kicker...after a couple attempts to start the case of the push pull/trans cable is very warm yet nothing and I mean nothing else is even warm. Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated
 

Aspen500

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My first guess is you have a bad battery to engine ground. If the shift cable is getting warm or hot, it's trying to be the ground circuit.

Also, be sure you have a good body ground connection and for good measure, a ground strap between the engine itself and the body isn't a bad idea.

As a quick test, clamp a jumper cable to the engine and battery ground terminal and see how the starter behaves. If it's OK, then you know for sure it's a bad ground circuit.
 

mcm73

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Aspen500 nailed it. Started right up. I cant believe i overlooked something so simple lol but thanks again for the eye opener. As soon as i read your reply i was like " im such a moron "
 

Aspen500

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Good deal! As soon as you mentioned the shift cable heating up, it had to be a ground problem.

"I'm such a moron",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I've been there more than once:p
 

XfbodyX

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Im really surprised it didnt melt the insulation on the cable. Luckly it wasnt a higher end cable or it probably would of been red.
 

volare 77

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I vaguely remember a car being recalled for the shifter cable acting as a ground the cable would get welded or melted over time.
 

Aspen500

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I vaguely remember a car being recalled for the shifter cable acting as a ground the cable would get welded or melted over time.
That sounds very familiar to me also. Thinking it may have been a Ford since I was a Ford dealer tech from '85-'07.....................Seems like the customer complaint was "the shifter moves hard".
 
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