Electrical Help on a '56

[Philippe Courant <accf-club@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>
>
>I've measured the resistance across the resistor - ~2 megohms which leads me 
>to believe it's dead although I couldn't find a definite value in the service 
>manual.
>
Yes, it's dead ! The resistance is around 1 ohm (for '57 engine: 0.665 
to 0.735 ohm at 70° F). But itsn't the reason of the "click-click" .. If 
you hear it, the starter relay is OK. Ther's too much resistance 
somewhere, electrical resistance (corroded posts on battery or on 
starter, corroded cables from battery to starter). Try to replace the 
main cable with another or put one in parallel. Or mechanical resistance 
in engine or trans.

I remember a curious thing which happened to me several times on my '58 
Bui*k. I had no battery security switch so when i parked the car for a 
long time i removed the + cable from the battery post. When i installed 
it again and wedged it (i didn't tighten the nut ..) the first time i 
tried to crank the car, "click" and nothing happened ! The gauges , 
warning light, dome lights went off.. So i moved a little the battery 
post ( cleaned it if i wasn't in a hurry..) because it seems that a 
suddent corosion (carbon of sparks between post and cable ?) developped 
on the battery post and insulated the post !

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Philippe COURANT (Pau, France)- Webmaster des sites ACCF et C-I-F
Imperial 1957 Crown convertible
Buick 1996 Roadmaster wagon

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