New member needs help 66 skylark gs

[Chainweaver]

Just bought a 66 skylark gs convertible 445 wildcat, had it a week & now wont start. No power to starter. Checked batt first, its ok. Narrowed it down to neutral switch, replaced it & still no start. It has 2 plugs, 2 wires per plug. When turning key to start one wire has power but nothing happens. No click, clunk nothing. Anybody have an idea what is wrong? Thanks in advance.

 

[LARRY70GS]

Just bought a 66 skylark gs convertible 445 wildcat, had it a week & now wont start. No power to starter. Checked batt first, its ok. Narrowed it down to neutral switch, replaced it & still no start. It has 2 plugs, 2 wires per plug. When turning key to start one wire has power but nothing happens. No click, clunk nothing. Anybody have an idea what is wrong? Thanks in advance.

If you look at the starter solenoid, there is a purple wire attached to one of the 2 smaller terminals. That is the solenoid wire. When you turn the key to crank, that wire gets 12 volts and activates the solenoid to power the starter motor to crank the engine. Use a meter or test light to back trace from that solenoid terminal. The neutral safety switch also has 2 purple wires. The switch breaks continuity between those 2 purple wires to prevent the starter from activating in gear. Jump the 2 purple wires together at the neutral safety switch, see if the engine cranks. If it does, the switch or adjustment is at fault. If not, use the meter or test light to find where you are losing the 12 volts.

You'll want to buy a 1966 Buick chassis manual. They aren't hard to find, here's one on Ebay,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-Buick-...ash=item51f2434cae:g:-2MAAOSwEzxYb-XZ&vxp=mtr

Also check www.v8buick.com Not taking anything away from this site, but v8buick deals almost exclusively with 60's and 70's Buicks.

 

[Chainweaver]

Thanks Larry, the bad part is to get at the solenoid i have to remove motor mount bolts & exhaust manifold, i was hoping someone knew a short cut (no pun intended), but i guess nothing is easy these days. I bypassed the safety switch & got sparks so the hard way it is i guess.

 

[LARRY70GS]

Really, you can't get a test lead to touch the purple wire terminal at the solenoid? That's hard to believe. All you need to do is verify whether the purple wire at the solenoid is getting 12 volts when you turn the key to crank. I think you can figure out a way to do that no how inaccessible the starter is. Take a look underneath and see.

 

[Chainweaver]

Nope, cant get at the terminals. Wish i could thats for sure.

 

[LARRY70GS]

I posted a thread over on V8buick. Have a look. Apparently, it is that difficult to get to the starter on the 66 401, but not impossible,

http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/1966-gran-sport-starter-access.322289/#post-2690376

 

[scosha]

Just bought a 66 skylark gs convertible 445 wildcat, had it a week & now wont start. No power to starter. Checked batt first, its ok. Narrowed it down to neutral switch, replaced it & still no start. It has 2 plugs, 2 wires per plug. When turning key to start one wire has power but nothing happens. No click, clunk nothing. Anybody have an idea what is wrong? Thanks in advance.

I am a new member. I have 1965 skylark GS convertible. I'm having the same clicking sound when attempting to start. Is the starter on the 66 and 65 on the left side?

 

[LARRY70GS]

99% of problems like this are bad battery or loose connections.

I am a new member. I have 1965 skylark GS convertible. I'm having the same clicking sound when attempting to start. Is the starter on the 66 and 65 on the left side?