No Start-Embarrassment ***Split From What have you done to your DeLorean today?***

[SS Spoiler]

Went to a car show in Columbia Falls Wed, didn't
score but the car let me down. After awards were
given we all fired up to leave for home but.....it wouldn't
start. Just one pop and useless cranking. Meanwhile
everyone has left, AAA said two hour wait and they
want to lockup the gate. So I tried one more time
and Varoooom it started and ran like nothing was
wrong. Ideas?.......

[Lwanmtr]

Went to a car show in Columbia Falls Wed, didn't
score but the car let me down. After awards were
given we all fired up to leave for home but.....it wouldn't
start. Just one pop and useless cranking. Meanwhile
everyone has left, AAA said two hour wait and they
want to lockup the gate. So I tried one more time
and Varoooom it started and ran like nothing was
wrong. Ideas?.......

Tantrum for not scoring?

[bytes311]

Went to a car show in Columbia Falls Wed, didn't
score but the car let me down. After awards were
given we all fired up to leave for home but.....it wouldn't
start. Just one pop and useless cranking. Meanwhile
everyone has left, AAA said two hour wait and they
want to lockup the gate. So I tried one more time
and Varoooom it started and ran like nothing was
wrong. Ideas?.......

Did you try the "plug swap" to get 'er going?

[nkemp]

Went to a car show in Columbia Falls Wed, didn't
score but the car let me down. After awards were
given we all fired up to leave for home but.....it wouldn't
start. Just one pop and useless cranking. Meanwhile
everyone has left, AAA said two hour wait and they
want to lockup the gate. So I tried one more time
and Varoooom it started and ran like nothing was
wrong. Ideas?.......

More than once my car got pulled home because it would crank but not start. Next day, it would work fine. I changed out the inertia switch (now has a modern Mustang version) and it has never had a problem again. Coincidence ... maybe. Your problem ... maybe.

Good luck finding the gremlin ... I hate problems that fix themselves ... sorta.

[SS Spoiler]

Actually the inertia switch was jumped before I got
the car 32 years ago.....

[SBL]

SS Spoiler:

Clean the tabs on the ballast resistors and clean (or cut off and replace ) the connectors. These are exposed and often get iffy, failing at the worst of times.

In your glove box you should have the "Y wire" workaround for the RPM relay, the water pump belt, and a few other goodies to help diagnose and /or get back on the road.

It has happened in one way or another to all of us.

steve

[Bitsyncmaster]

SS Spoiler:

Clean the tabs on the ballast resistors and clean (or cut off and replace ) the connectors. These are exposed and often get iffy, failing at the worst of times.

steve

Another common connection problem is the distributor pickup coil connector which is right near the resistors. Not sure if that connector should be inside the car but on my car it was in the engine compartment and very corroded.

[SS Spoiler]

thanks guys, I'll check it out....

[SS Spoiler]

Went to Heritage Days Parade in Columbia Falls [17 mi]
ran fine all the way. Shut it off half an hour before the
parade, tried a restart....crank, crank nothing. Did smell
gas so I waited for the parade to start with the gas pedal
floored, thinking it would dry out. Gave it one last try and
it roared to life, got in line did parade drove home. Its
acting like a fuel problem. Besides stalling at lights [bump
starts fine] it also occasionally idle drops to 500 rpm and
doesn't respond to the throttle, unless I shut it off and
quick restart and acts normally.
Side note: the ignition switch will shut off engine, but
dash lights stay on. Have to use Master Battery kill
switch or battery goes flat. It's rapidly declining in
reliability.....more ideas?

[Lwanmtr]

Definately sounds electrical..but also a but above my pay grade.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Went to Heritage Days Parade in Columbia Falls [17 mi]
ran fine all the way. Shut it off half an hour before the
parade, tried a restart....crank, crank nothing. Did smell
gas so I waited for the parade to start with the gas pedal
floored, thinking it would dry out. Gave it one last try and
it roared to life, got in line did parade drove home. Its
acting like a fuel problem. Besides stalling at lights [bump
starts fine] it also occasionally idle drops to 500 rpm and
doesn't respond to the throttle, unless I shut it off and
quick restart and acts normally.
Side note: the ignition switch will shut off engine, but
dash lights stay on. Have to use Master Battery kill
switch or battery goes flat. It's rapidly declining in
reliability.....more ideas?

You need to fix that "dash lights stay on" problem first and it may fix other problems. If you don't know how to read a schematic and use a voltmeter maybe someone close can help you.

[Ron]

+1

Sounds like more than one circuit to me.
(Relay hanging?)

Do the marker, tail, or other lights stay on when the dash (?instrument & panel?) lights stay on?

[SS Spoiler]

Pulled all the fuses with battery master on
Didn't shut off dash battery light [the only one
lit up]. Will check starter and alternator wires
to see if anything is touching.

[Ron]

Try unplugging the NY (Brown/Yellow) wire at the alternator first.