I have a weird problem with my 1983 Camaro Z28. Please offer any advice or ideas you have. Here is my scenerio:

I buy the car. 800$. It runs fine for two days. The third day it does not start. It doesnt even crank over. Buy a new battery, it starts right up perfectly. (I dont turn it off the first time i start it with the new battery) drive to mcdonalds, get back, turn off car, and car wont start. Get new starter put in. Car starts perfect. Out of money now. drive it for hours around town. Go to the mall. Come out half an hour later, and the car does not want to turn over. Pop the hood, fiddle with the battery cables, and car barley starts. It appears that the car has some electrical trouble. Whenever i leave the car battery hooked up, even for 10 minuetes, it has a tough time starting. If I unhook the battery when i park, and hook it up when I want to go, it starts beautiful every time. Also, my battery level gauge moves around and reacts extremly. For instance, when I turn my lights on, it drops a quarter of the gauge, almost into the oarnge. (this is with my radio blaring) when I turn my radio off it goes down. I dont know what in the hot **** is going on. I had it diagnosed at autozone and they said perfect battery, perfect alternator, no unusual draw on the battery, possibly the starter....but its not the starter i just got a new one of those put in. Please leave any advice that you can. Thanks.

 

first thing i would do is start lookin at the battery cables. If they are old or burnt anywhere, I would just replace them. Autozone wires only cost about 5 bucks... If your batt cables look good, then check all the other wires coming off the battery. Fusable links and the such. This kind of problem can occur if the terminals on the battery...or on the wires is crappy. I.E. build up from battery acid. I would start there. I have had that exact problem before, and a new set of battery cables fixxed me right up. When you replaced the starter, you most likely took off the ground wire on the battery...atleast I hope so. That dissconnection and then reconnection is what made her start up good. Let us know how ya make out.
Justin

 

I agree with ghettocruiser. Battery cables will do wonders on the charging system. Had the same problem happen to me several times and spent hours trying to figure out what it was. And all this time, all it was is the battery cables.