383 won't start

[cuda hunter]

Thanks guys.
I wish I had time to do my own cables but at this point I have about a week to get this dang car out of the way so I can get the other fixed newport out of the garage and put my cuda in the garage for detailing to get it to Carlisle in like a week and a half.
So big old jabberjaw will just get pushed out of the driveway this evening and pushed into a different resting spot to be fixed later. He's definitely been a PIA. Couldn't have broken in a worse spot (exception of a railroad crossing).
While this broke a week ago, my car hauling trailer's door spring broke last week and it seems near impossible to get anyone to work on anything in this state.

 

[Gerald Morris]

Here's a quick and dirty fix that should get you down the road apiece...

ebay.com/itm/113236044182?fits=Model%3ANewport%7CMake%3AChrysler&epid=110311664&hash=item1a5d64e996:g:4j8AAOSwoyVbkp2s

 

[John Kirby]

Make sure you are in neutral or park. Maybe put E -brake on as well. Contact these two terminals with a screw driver or heavy 10 gauge jumper. Your remote start tool is likely to have to small gauge of wire. In this case you are totally bypassing the ignition switch (will crank with switch off), starter relay, and NSS.
View attachment 467551 View attachment 467552
If it cranks it is not the solenoid. If it doesn’t crank it could be loose starter terminals or bad starter solenoid. If it does crank It could be the relay, NSS or ignition switch.

Had this happen about 30 years ago. I was able to tug on the main power feed from the battery to the starter while jumping the relay. Don't pull hard or you will yank the terminal off the end of the wire. I was able to start the car for months this way. The good old broke college student days...

Eventually I pulled the starter and took the solenoid apart. The copper terminal shown in one of the above photos had a large semicircle worn out of it where the solenoid made contact when you turned the key to start. If you can find a solenoid rebuild kit it's a simple thing to rebuild. I bought another starter due to time constraints.

 

[cuda hunter]

It is reinstalled. Hope the "friction" washer isn't that big a deal for the moment.
Starts great now.
The battery cable was ridiculous and had several issues. I can't believe I just passed by that mess of junk instead of changing the cable first. Much appreciated guidance! thanks yal !!
Had to do a generic wire from Oreilly's. Had to cut the rubber holder at the starter end to divide the two wires.
After getting the starter installed it fired up just fine. Took it to O'reilly's to have their machine check the charging system and the voltage regulator was bad. Purchased one and went to drive it home. But as I let it sit outside running it got hot enough that it vapor locked the rubber gas line and I had to do some pushing of the car out of a walmart intersection. That's always fun. Bunch of guys came and helped me push that boat. Got lots of compliments and conversations out of the extra pushers.
Gave it a little while to cool down, came back and he started back up like a top. Ole Jabberjaw needs a fan shroud.
Carb to be rebuilt next week.

 

[Big_John]

I can't believe I just passed by that mess of junk instead of changing the cable first.

We all tend to fail at looking at the simple stuff first. Unfortunately, that goes to advice too. I make the mistake of assuming that cables (etc) have been checked, so I often don't say "check the cables". I've been berated for saying to check simple things too, so I can't win. LOL.

So, lesson learned here is to check the easy stuff before you spend money. Remember you are dealing with older components. Some may be 50 year old OE stuff and some may be some cheap crap that a previous owner threw on 35 years ago because that's what they could afford for their old car at the time.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Rats late to the party, wanted to use this one. Now where is that 400 ignition thread that has gone past 50 posts?

 

[TIm Bauer]

NSS Switch test. (if it cranks when terminals contacted above) Pull brown wire on relay (on my ‘68 is NSS) and ground the terminal on the relay. Car I park or neutral, e brake on. Try cranking with the ignition key. If it cranks. Likely something from the brown wire down to your transmission NSS.
View attachment 467553

Just figured I would let you know that you just solved a neutral safety switch problem for me without me having to use my own brain. HaHa. Thanks man