Looking for a bit of help with my Chevy engined MK2. It has been sitting for a while now, but I am putting it back together after a bare metal respray. I have a good battery, and I can hear the fuel pump running when I turn on the ignition, but nothing happens when I push the starter button. I removed the starter motor assuming that the solenoid was faulty, but a bench test proved that it is working fine. I have looked at all the fuses I can see, and cannot find a problem there. Electrics have always been my weak point. Can anyone suggest what might be the cause, and where I look next?

Thanks.

 

So, your starter is good, but wont work in the car. Does it make any sound at all when the button is pushed? a clicking? It seems that I recall Chevy starters need to be shimmed properly (shims are easy to get) or they either wont work or will make grinding noises. Did it work fine previously? Also, try running a hot wire from the battery to the solenoid, if it works then you know you problem is in your cars wiring. Check battery cables for corrosion inside the casings too... Is the engine to body ground strap in good shape? as always, my 2 cents.... Good Luck.

 

Basic wiring on the Jaguar for the starter is the cable from the battery goes to the solenoid on the bulkhead then a second cable goes from the solenoid to the starter. When you push the starter button on the dash or the button on the solenoid you are basically just joining the cable from the battery to the one that goes to the starter for the duration that the button is pushed. If you push the button and you can hear the starter click either the starter is not turning/jammed or there is not enough power going to the starter as it draws a lot of current. Check the battery is fully charged. Check the earth from battery to bulkhead earth is good. Check the engine earth strap is good. If there is no click the problem might lie with the solenoid on the bulkhead. Try jumping the cable from the battery direct onto the cable going to the starter motor. If the starter firers up it is the solenoid. If it clicks then check as above.
The above is for the Jaguar Mk2 but I do not know how much your wiring has been altered when the V8 was fitted.

 

Thanks for the help guys. I took everything apart, cleaned connection etc. and put it back and now it works --- some of the time? I have a dirty fuel tank issue, so I have to fix that, but the ignition power is intermittent. When cranking the car, the power goes off. If I wait a while or disconnect and reconnect the battery, then it works again. Otherwise it runs great. Drove it around the block for the first time in 3 years.

 

That's a bugger of a problem. Did you have a look at the wiring on the starter button too? Or maybe try an alternate relay. Could be a loose connection inside? Usually this sort of thing means a wire is touching just enough and when you put amps to it, it jumps away and opens the circuit. (Thinking more)..... if doing the battery cables helps then I would definitely check inside their insulation for corrosion or breakage..... keep at it, the car just wants attention.....

 

An intermittent electrical problem is a bugger because when you are trying to chase the problem it starts working again and when it is working there is no problem to chase.
I had a problem with my lights. Switch them on and they worked. Two mins later and they stopped. Switch them off then back on and hey presto working again. Checked all the wiring and found nothing. In the end I found one of the fuse blocks had a loose connection. The wire is connected to the spade on the block and then the fuse sits in the holder. My bad connection was behind the fuse where the spade connector was riveted to the fuse holder. Changed the fuse block and everything is now working as it should.