enough juice

[Matthan]

I have a 1969 Dodge Charger with a 383 in it. When I go to start the car it sounds like it is not getting enough juice to start up. Sometimes in Fires right up other time it does not. I have installed a new battery and a new starter. I believe my alternator is good as well. Could it be the voltage regulator?

[Ghoste]

What are the plugs gapped at, are they fresh, how is the coil, plug wires all good, what about the wiring?  Many factors to consider.

[Matthan]

Brand New Coil, Plugs are about 1 year old

[myk]

Take the car to a parts store that will check your starting/charging system for free.  A new battery and/or starter is not a guarantee of a properly working starting and charging system.  Personally, I would look into your wiring; you can have the most trick parts in the world but that electricity isn't going anywhere if your wiring and cables are shot...

[Matthan]

What should I check next?

[Ghoste]

Does the engine turn over at the same rate each time and you are meaning that sometimes it fires up immediately but the next time seems to take too long?

[Matthan]

Sometimes if fires right up and other times in sounds like the battery is dead and barley turns. Then it will fire up.

[Cooter]

Bad connection draining voltage to starter. Look for sh*t battery (just cause you saved $10.00 on that Wally World battery, doesn't mean its a good battery). Usually though, its the cable ends at the terminals. ESPECIALLY if you are smart and REMOVE one during storage...

[Matthan]

I will look at the cables...my battery is the Gold one from Advance Auto Parts..so i know it is not that.

[Matthan]

Ok the battery is fully charged and when I turn over the motor I just hear the starter clicking.

[Nacho-RT74]

seems to be starter motor bushings

[el dub]

When ever I have heard clicking it was a dead battery or voltage regulator or alternator not charging battery causing dead battery. But I'm no expert.Follow Myk's advice.

[Hard Charger]

I have a 1969 Dodge Charger with a 383 in it. When I go to start the car it sounds like it is not getting enough juice to start up. Sometimes in Fires right up other time it does not. I have installed a new battery and a new starter. I believe my alternator is good as well. Could it be the voltage regulator?

I had the same issue, 68 with a 383. if I did not start it just right it would wind for a while before firing. i was pretty embarrassed when this happened.

all my parts were good and when it fires it ran great.

I decided to go with a new distributor, figured that must be the week link. I receive my new fire core ignition tomorrow.

[Matthan]

Could be my voltage regulator?

[Back N Black]

I have a 1969 Dodge Charger with a 383 in it. When I go to start the car it sounds like it is not getting enough juice to start up. Sometimes in Fires right up other time it does not. I have installed a new battery and a new starter. I believe my alternator is good as well. Could it be the voltage regulator?

I had the same issue, 68 with a 383. if I did not start it just right it would wind for a while before firing. i was pretty embarrassed when this happened.

all my parts were good and when it fires it ran great.

I decided to go with a new distributor, figured that must be the week link. I receive my new fire core ignition tomorrow.

Carburetor-ed engines can be sensitive, each car has its own quirks WRT starting, Its trial and error. It took me awhile to figure out how many pumps of the accelerator cold and how many pumps when engine is at operating temp.

[Matthan]

This problem has nothing to with the carb....it electrical for sure.

[Pete in NH]

How old is the battery? Also, make sure the battrey connections are clean and tight. I would put a battery charger on the battrey to make sure it is charged. You could have a charging system issue and the battery is going dead from not being recharged. Past that it could be a starter on the way out with a dead spot on the commutator or worn brushes. You said it is a new starter but, many rebuilds today aren't very good quality.

[Matthan]

I am thinking it is the starter

[Ghoste]

Does the starter ever make grinding noises?

[Matthan]

no, it just moves really slow and acts like it it not getting enough power to start. My battery is new and my cables are in good shape. So I was thinking it may be the starter

[Ghoste]

That would be my best guess so far.

[68 RT]

Is the car hot or cold? Do you have trouble all the time starting it temp wise?

[Matthan]

most of the time it is hard to start when it is hot, but it also started to do it when it is cold too.

[Ghoste]

Is there a good auto electric shop nearby that could test the starter for you?

[Matthan]

Bad cell in the battery

[Ghoste]

 

[Nacho-RT74]

seems to be starter motor bushings

I keep up same opinion LOL

[el dub]

I didn't know you could charger up a battery with a dead cell. Learn something new every day.

[1974dodgecharger]

I didn't know you could charger up a battery with a dead cell. Learn something new every day.

doesnt die quicker though if you do?  I had a bad cell and that thing would charge, but last only a day and have to charge again, again, etc..

[Matthan]

that was what happened to mine...my charger fires right up with just i touch of the key

[Ghoste]

Glad it turned out to be a relatively easy fix.  A dead cell can be a hard one to chase sometimes when the battery is newer and less suspect than it should be.  I guess the moral would be to assume nothing, suspect everything and begin with the easiest part.