• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

TR6 TR6 Only starts when being jumped

John-Glen

Freshman Member
Offline
Hello Everyone,
My 1972 TR6 is having dificulties waking from its winter slumber. It will only start when jumped from another vehicle. I tried 3 different batteries all same result. It would then run on its own but die when I removed the ground from the negative terminal. While running it would show higher charging voltage though. Just bought a new battery today as old one had bin in there for 12 years. Installed then put key in ignition and nothing happens at all, no lights, no guages no starter nothing. I have 12.6 volts at battery, at starter post, at ampmeter and at ignition switch. That's as far as I have gotten. If I pull wires from the ignition switch and leave the Brown/White from ampmeter connected and connect one white wire I get the brake warning light to work. When I connect the White/Red to starter and turn key brake warning light goes away but nothing else happens.
Any suggestions or ideas?
Cheers,
John-Glen
 

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
Gold
Online
John - a couple thoughts.

1. bad grounding strap(s).
2. voltage regulator fried
3. bad battery cables
4. is the new battery fully charged?
5. is the generator/alternator functioning right?

When you say it won't start unless jumped - do you mean the starter won't turn unless car is jumped?

With all in place, how does the horn sound? Turn the headlights on and start the engine. Do the headlights really dim when the starter turns?

Tom M.
 

Gliderman8

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
I agree with Tom. The first thing I would check is the ground strap. Maybe remove and clean the ends of the strap and reinstall. Check with a continuity meter to make sure you have a good ground. Let us know how you make out.
 
OP
John-Glen

John-Glen

Freshman Member
Offline
Thanks for the quick replies, when I say it won't start unless jumped: I mean that I get nothing, absolutely nothing with battery in car. When I connect a jumper from running vehicle battery posts to battery posts everything works. Lights, guages, hazards, starter, everything.
Cheers,
John-Glen
 

dklawson

Yoda
Offline
Clean and inspect the main battery cables and their terminals. Since the battery is new and you said it was charged to 12.6V, look for problems with those main cables and their connections. If nothing else you should be able t get the headlights to work since they do not involve the ignition switch.

As a footnote.... In college I had a roommate who owned an AMC Gremlin that would NOT start unless we connected 3 cars to his via jumper cables. We couldn't figure it out so the car went off to a shop where they promptly diagnosed the problem as corrosion of the main cables UNDER the vinyl insulation. The cables were full of corrosion byproducts... not copper.
 
OP
John-Glen

John-Glen

Freshman Member
Offline
I removed and cleaned all main cable ends, still nothing... Will run some cable parallel to see if that helps next.
Cheers,
John-Glen
 

glemon

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Disconnect the ground, then clean all connections at the starter solenoid, all power runs through there, you have have resistance that can only be overcome by extra juice from another battery. I had a similar problem years ago. Car and all electrics would die, it was intermittent, PITA to figure out, but easy fix.
 
OP
John-Glen

John-Glen

Freshman Member
Offline
Thanks everyone, it ended up being the main power cable from battery to starter. Will need to replace. Lots of corrosion on all electrical connections as well, spent a lot of time cleaning today. Time to order some parts for tune-up anyway. Then will need to pass TÃœV again here in Germany and all is good for another 2 years.
Cheers,
John-Glen
 

Gliderman8

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
Glad to hear you got it sorted out. Enjoy the drive! :driving:
 

dklawson

Yoda
Offline
Thanks everyone, it ended up being the main power cable from battery to starter.

Sounds just like the problem I mentioned in my last post. Corrosion can hide in many places!

I'm glad you got it figured out!
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
M TR6 TR6 starts, runs, then dies Triumph 5
R TR6 Crazy Ignition Failure in TR6 engine… Triumph 7
mctriumph For Sale 69 Tr6 Triumph Classifieds 0
B TR6 TR6 block decking Triumph 2
A TR6 How many fuel filters-TR6 Triumph 20
Got_All_4 General Tech TR6 Transmission Troubles Pops Out of 3rd gear Triumph 2
J TR6 Repadding TR6 frame Triumph 0
S Wanted Need an HVDA conversion kit for 73 TR6 Triumph Classifieds 3
M TR6 Sorting out new TR6 Triumph 10
tr6nitjulius For Sale TR6 Clutch Master Cylinder $40 Triumph Classifieds 0
S TR6 '72 TR6 distributor issues Triumph 3
R TR6 Limit Mechanical Advance on TR6 distributor? Triumph 8
RonC General TR TR3 Shifter on TR6 Triumph 8
B TR6 TR6 convertible top frame Triumph 0
K TR2/3/3A The TR6 gearbox Ist gear.... Triumph 1
tr6nitjulius For Sale TR6 tail light assemby & Resurfaced/New Ring Gear Flywheel Triumph Classifieds 0
tr6nitjulius TR6 TRIUMPH TR6 Triumph 7
S TR6 New tr6 purchase Triumph 31
Jim_Stevens TR6 Barn find of TR6 and many TR3 parts Triumph 9
nichola TR6 Hot spot on cylinder head - 1973 TR6 Triumph 2
R TR6 Heater control bezels TR6 Triumph 2
L For Sale 1974 Tr6 for sale Triumph Classifieds 0
tr6nitjulius TR6 TR6 Parts Visualization Triumph 0
Got_All_4 For Sale 1969 TR6 Driver Seat Triumph Classifieds 0
R TR6 TR6 Choke Cable Triumph 11
Got_All_4 For Sale TR6 TR250 TR4 parts for sale Triumph Classifieds 2
B For Sale TR6 Carburetors Triumph Classifieds 0
R TR6 TR6 Triumph 6
Chrisc9 TR6 TR6 brake light Triumph 6
glemon TR5/TR250 Answering My Own Question Rear Tube Shock Conversion Numbers TR4a-TR6 Triumph 0
tr6nitjulius General TR TRIUMPH TR6 the possibilities! Triumph 12
SherpaPilot TR6 Unidentified fitting on TR6 Engine Triumph 3
Got_All_4 TR6 Need 1969 TR6 Expert Got Questions Triumph 17
tr6nitjulius General TR 6/24/23 TRIUMPH TR6 (5) TR8 (2) Spitfire (1 RHD of 2) TR3A (1) Triumph 0
AngliaGT ANOTHER TR6,& an MGB Spotted 0
A For Sale 1974 TR6 Triumph Classifieds 1
Got_All_4 TR6 Triumph TR6 PDWA Brake Question Triumph 1
EWD For Sale ‘74 TR6 original wheel trim rings Triumph Classifieds 3
EWD For Sale ‘74 TR6 original radio Triumph Classifieds 0
EWD For Sale ‘74 TR6 original starter Triumph Classifieds 0
EWD For Sale ‘74 TR6 original steering wheel Triumph Classifieds 0
JPSmit TR6 at lunch today Spotted 0
E Wanted looking for a tr6 bell housing Triumph Classifieds 12
jfarris For Sale TR6 Yellow Fan - new Triumph Classifieds 0
L Wanted right front turn signal 1975 TR6 Triumph Classifieds 2
charlie74 ‘74 1/2+ TR6 Spotted 0
E TR6 TR6 flip-up bonnet question Triumph 4
Marvin Gruber For Sale 1974 TR6 for sale, $7200 Triumph Classifieds 3
T TR6 TR6 Tire Pressures Triumph 2
B TR6 Triumph tr6 coolant leak Triumph 4

Similar threads

Top