Guest johnw90 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 So i went to change my plugs on my buick changed all the plugs then went to go start the car it turnt over once now it wont turn over anymore. i have checked battery cables both pos and neg along with cables to starter. it has the stock carter 2 barrel carb with floor start car only has 18k miles and only like 2k on new motor. just need some help. im new to this forum but familiar to the other ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Hi John. Welcome to this forum. What you describe is pretty general. To give you some quality answers as opposed to just guessing wildly, please give us some additional details about the cars history and this immediate problem. I'd like to know:1) How did the car run before you changed the spark plugs?2) What type of plugs and the plug number you used ?3) What do you mean it turned over once? Did it crank for several seconds or are you saying it just turned over for a split second?4) What, if any noise do you get when you attempt to start the car?5) When you attempt to start the car, what happens to the Amperes Meter reading?6) Describe how you checked the battery cables. Did you remove them and clean the contact between the battery and the cable?As a side note, would you mind expanding on the need to replace the engine in an 18K car? As part of this, can you tell us where you got the replacement motor? And what work the replacement motor got before installation/ purchase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Hi John. Welcome to this forum. What you describe is pretty general. To give you some quality answers as opposed to just guessing wildly, please give us some additional details about the cars history and this immediate problem. I'd like to know:1) How did the car run before you changed the spark plugs? car ran fine it just had a small miss once it warmed up so i wanted t ostart with plugs2) What type of plugs and the plug number you used ? i will have to check what plug numbers they were but i replaced with same plugs that were in it3) What do you mean it turned over once? Did it crank for several seconds or are you saying it just turned over for a split second? it turned over for a split second 4) What, if any noise do you get when you attempt to start the car? no noise at all 5) When you attempt to start the car, what happens to the Amperes Meter reading? meter stays in same place6) Describe how you checked the battery cables. Did you remove them and clean the contact between the battery and the cable? removed clean and checked all connections for battery and starter also the groundAs a side note, would you mind expanding on the need to replace the engine in an 18K car? As part of this, can you tell us where you got the replacement motor? And what work the replacement motor got before installation/ purchase? my grandfather bought the car with the orignal motor and everything but it was seized up because the car sat for many years up in nc. the stock motor was rebuilt completely down here in orlando fl. bored 30 over everything redone on it response in red ^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Open the door so the interior lights come on. Then try to start it. If the interior lights go out the battery or the terminals need to be checked again.If the lights come right back on again when you release there is a chance your starter did its last start. If the same thing happened to me I would probably pull the starter and have it gone through.Sometimes I just don't want to believe the obvious. If any of you ever meet my wife ask here about the time I blew up my battery 60 miles from home in a similar diagnostic situation.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Agreeing with Bernie. Sounds like a battery cable terminal is not tight on the post. This could be either one or both terminals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Open the door so the interior lights come on. Then try to start it. If the interior lights go out the battery or the terminals need to be checked again.If the lights come right back on again when you release there is a chance your starter did its last start. If the same thing happened to me I would probably pull the starter and have it gone through.Sometimes I just don't want to believe the obvious. If any of you ever meet my wife ask here about the time I blew up my battery 60 miles from home in a similar diagnostic situation.BernieMy interior lights don't work so I can't try that. In response to the other guy I already checked the battery cables I've said that 2 times already they are tight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasJohn55 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 JohnW, I think what they mean is: have the cables and connections been removed and cleaned thoroughly? Simply being tight means nothing. TJ55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 JohnW, I think what they mean is: have the cables and connections been removed and cleaned thoroughly? Simply being tight means nothing. TJ55Yes all connections are clean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 You can turn on the headlights if the interior lights don't work. Then watch to see if they go out when you try to start.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 You can turn on the headlights if the interior lights don't work. Then watch to see if they go out when you try to start.BernieOk so batterie is fine my problen is lights won't even come on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Sometimes the original cables go bad by developing high resistance internally at the copper/lead interface. They may look good but are not. You could also have a crappy ground connection. If the car has been sitting long enough to seize the engine you can expect corrosion/high resistance at some/any/all electrical connections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Skyking Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Batteries do have a tendency to short out at odd times..........? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) Here are a few tests that might help:Charge your battery for about 1 hour at a maximum of 10 amps.Test the voltage with probes into the battery posts.Test the voltage with probes on the terminals.Test the voltage from the positive post to the generator ground.Test the voltage from the positive terminal to the generator ground.All should be the same and read about 12 volts.Bernie Edited October 31, 2013 by 60FlatTop (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUKE Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 ck for fusable link on the pos side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 alright gentlemen i figured it out. im a stubborn guy but i honestly looked everywhere i went and got my jumper cables up then i was like ok lights still aint lighting up started messing with cables again turns out that the cable for the pos side wasnt crimped correctly thus letting it slip out of the terminal so i had to go get a new cable tried to crimp it back with what i had but didnt work. i appreciate the help from everybody. im young and new to all of this im only 22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 by the way it has a 12 volt system i believe now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 ok now my next question sometimes went putting the car in reverse it shifts back and forth inbetween low and reverse what should i look for on that one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 johnw90,First, Welcome to the AACA Discussion Forum. I am a lot older than you, but still was born after my 1954 Buick was built, so I can sort of identify with a young guy working on an older car. There is an adjustment that you can make to resolve the low/reverse issue. While lots of folks here can give you excellent advice to resolve issues, if you don't have a factory service manual for your car, you really should buy one. It will enable you to easily learn much more about working on your car. It is a lot easier to work on that sort of issue when you are looking at the manual with descriptions and diagrams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 johnw90,First, Welcome to the AACA Discussion Forum. I am a lot older than you, but still was born after my 1954 Buick was built, so I can sort of identify with a young guy working on an older car. There is an adjustment that you can make to resolve the low/reverse issue. While lots of folks here can give you excellent advice to resolve issues, if you don't have a factory service manual for your car, you really should buy one. It will enable you to easily learn much more about working on your car. It is a lot easier to work on that sort of issue when you are looking at the manual with descriptions and diagrams.where can you get a manual aslo is there some place to download it online? or do you need to straight up buy the book. i appreciate all the help and everything from everybody so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) I bought my 1954 Service Manual on Ebay. It looks like a 1955 Manual is available there too. Here is one...http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-Buick-Shop-Manual-/271310290221?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f2b5a7d2dI am sure that the usual Buick Parts Suppliers probably also have them available. I have not searched to make sure that link is the cheapest option, so a little research would probably be a good idea. Edited October 31, 2013 by MCHinson (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnw90 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 10-4 I know for my truck toyota tacona they had free ones online I wanted to make sure nobody had a copy on file insteady of spending money on one that I could get for free. I will look for a cheap price and yet again I appreciate the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhambulldog Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Re: shop manualRock Auto has the shop manual on dvd.'55 has 12 volt originallyWelcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 ok now my next question sometimes went putting the car in reverse it shifts back and forth inbetween low and reverse what should i look for on that one?Usually caused by defective thrust pad and trans mount...and maybe engine mounts. All are available and the service manual details replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Here is a 1957 manual" http://www.teambuick.com/reference/library/57_chassis/ Some of the information might be helpful.It is from TeamBuick.com http://www.teambuick.com/index.phpThey have manuals for 1952, 1957, 1960, 1966. 1967, 1971, and 1975. They are free to access and download.It is a good site and they will take a donation.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caballero2 Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Buick-Chassis-Repair-Service-Manual/dp/B007TWJKOEI bought my 1954 Service Manual on Ebay. It looks like a 1955 Manual is available there too. Here is one...http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-Buick-Shop-Manual-/271310290221?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f2b5a7d2dI am sure that the usual Buick Parts Suppliers probably also have them available. I have not searched to make sure that link is the cheapest option, so a little research would probably be a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now