Starting problem .. and a burning problem??

[Pizzi348]

I have a couple of problems with my AH 100. I thinking the first problem is a starter.

My car fires right up. I can drive it as far as I want (I went 40 or so miles). When I turn the car off, it has trouble starting again. It sounds like a dead battery. If I wait 20 or so minutes ... it will start up again?? The battery is brand new.

Second problem ... I think my brakes get stuck?

Yesterday, I was driving back to my house (about 20 miles or so) very hot and probably shouldn't have had the car out, but I got stuck because of the first problem I mentioned. Anyway, it was about 94 out. The car did great, didn't over heat at all, except I thought my sneaker was melting! The last few miles started to smell like burning rubber. I got out the car and smoke was coming out for the rear wheel wells. The brake pedal felt kind of dead. Like I only had to push it in an inch instead of the regular three inches to get the car to stop. I thought maybe the e-brake wasn't disengaging properly, but really have no idea. Anyone know where I should start looking?

Thanks! Matt

 

[abarth69]

I think your starting problem if you do a search you will find lots of info on. I think it has to do with your ground.

Cheers

Mark

 

[roscoe]

I'm not going to guess what your starting problem is. I would think a bad ground would not "go away" after 20 minutes. Perhaps if your battery is marginal or not charging during driving, when you are trying to start with the engine really warm and compression just a bit higher than when it is cold, that it is just too much for it to crank. I guess that is a guess. Check the voltage drop when you crank the engine.

The brakes need to be looked at and checked for adjustment. There is one brake adjuster on each rear wheel and two on each front. Jack the wheels one at a time and make sure they spin freely. Do the adjustment per the shop manual. Turn the adjusters until the brakes grab and back off a notch until they spin. You may have something binding or broken inside the brake drum, or your hand brake may not be releasing, as you suggest. I'd pull the rear wheels and brake drums just to make sure everything looks ok. You can get a good look at the hand brake mechanism by the right rear wheel when you have the wheel off. The drums are pretty easy to get off and you could have a large amount of dirt or brake dust inside the drum.

 

[gblawson]

If the above doesn't solve the brakes 'holding' on, pull the rubber brake hoses connecting your brake lines to your wheels (and the one up under the rear end)... if they are old original, or just old, they can be like a one way valve...let you apply, but don't release!!! Happens all the time!!!

 

[shorn]

Agree with the above. The old rubber brake lines can deteriorate on the inside and collapse. Brake fluid gets pushed through the line when the brakes are applied, but doesn't return when the brake pedal is released. Might as well change the two in the front also, if they are old.

 

[Jerry]

I had a starting problem just like yours and it was the solinoid. Worked well when cold but not when hot.

Jerry

 

[Pizzi348]

Thanks Jerry .. that was my first thought.

 

[stever]

I vaguely recall that about 25 years or so ago I had a similar situation to yours with the starter. My recollection is that a bushing in the starter itself had become so worn that the shaft bound up when attempting to start - an intermittent problem, but very frustrating. I had the starter "rebuilt" and that took care of it. If the problem persists after changing out the solenoid as suggested earlier, you could have the starter itself looked at.

 

[bob hughes]

Hey Matt

I had an intermittent problem, a bit like yours. Turned out to be a the wire connection from the coil to the dizzy, the end connector had been hanging on by a wire thread, when cold ok, when hot no go. But failure occured on route without stopping. Replaced with new and no problems since.

Bob

 

[TimK]

I have had the left rear brake cylinder cock at a slight angle when putting on the brakes and not release. I have had to back off the brake adjuster, remove the drum and push the wheel cylinder back in place. I just ordered new locking plates to see if that will cure my problem.

 

[pan]

Hi Matt,
TimK is referring to the later type "5 stud" Hypoid rear axle, which has a sliding cylinder.
The earlier 100 has a "4 stud" Spiral Bevel axle. These have a fixed brake slave cylinder. There are cams and a sliding mechanism that operates the hand-brake (park-brake)which can freeze up and hold the shoes against the drum.
Which does your 100 have?

 

[Pizzi348]

Hi Pan

My garage is the process of being built so I have to wait until it's done before I get it on a lift. Do you know year they changes to the 5 stud?

Thanks,

Matt