Re: [Amc-list] 65 wiring diagram

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

Matt's made a lot of good suggestions, here's my take on problems like this.

While it's possible that some previous owner's fiddling caused a lot of these 
problems, and they seem to inter-act, keep in mind that old cars accumulate a 
LOT of problems in their last few years. We tend to look for patterns in 
causes for things but I've found in old, badly maintained cars, often each 
problem is it's own story, and what they have in common is neglect and the 
ravages of time.

Divide and conquer -- don't assume problem A is related to problem B. It may 
be, but you don't really know that, and if you stick to that story, it will 
prevent you from seeing the problem if it's something else. 

The "fires when cranking but stops when you release the key" is lack of 
switched battery to the coil BUT with the wire from the starter solenoid "I" 
is working. The wire from solenoid "I" provides direct 12V as Jim Blair said, 
while cranking. So it starts, you turn off the key, the coil is no longer 
powered, car stalls.

Possibly some of those other non-sense wires were an attempt to fix this 
without understanding it.

YOu can test pretty much everything electrical in a car with a test light. I 
have a niuce DVM and all that but the lamp is so dead-simple and has a huge 
advantage -- you don't really even have to look at it, just see it out of the 
corner of your eye. Your brain doesn't need to wait for an LCD display to 
settle down to "14.2" or whatever. Get one with clips on BOTH ends -- no 
hands! 100% superior! Home-made ones are superior, you can use a #1812 lamp 
and have it be BRIGHT! 

I'm sure Matt's right, the starter solenoid or starter is stuck. But as an 
example, clip a test lamp on the starter solenoid (green wire or is it 
yellow, from the ignition switch). If the light stays on when you release the 
key, bad switch. If ligt goes off but starter keeps cranking, stuck solenoid 
or starter. Etc. With clips both hards are free,a nd you can sit in the 
drivers seat and still see the lamp.
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