No Start

[SHAWNINATOR]

So i bought an optima dual purpose marine battery. Charged it on a 2 amp slow charger, put it in and it doesnt seem like it has enough juice to turn the engine over. It turns over but really slow. Should i go back to what it had in a duralast car battery with 1000 ca? I have a 468 BBC with 13:1. pretty big cam.

[GUGS102]

load test the battery at a local auto parts store. If it checks out have someone check the amp draw at the starter. That optima should have plenty to crank that motor.

[SHAWNINATOR]

ya i might have to do that. It started up like a charm 3 months ago. I got in an accident and it sat. i want to take it out a couple more times this year.

[SHAWNINATOR]

I have a Tilton Super Starter

[@theRVR]

So i bought an optima dual purpose marine battery. Charged it on a 2 amp slow charger, put it in and it doesnt seem like it has enough juice to turn the engine over. It turns over but really slow. Should i go back to what it had in a duralast car battery with 1000 ca? I have a 468 BBC with 13:1. pretty big cam.
I've had some problems like that, let it sit and.... what turned out for me is that the mating surface's where getting corroded, so I ran the ground lead from the battery to the starter and problem solved.

[McIntyrelocal]

sounds to me like the starter is going they may look good on the outside but they get rusted and coroded on the inside from condesation.It also could be the wiring one of the power,ground or silonoid wires could be going bea.

[Jetaholic]

Simple problem...simple to troubleshoot...
Get a brand new battery. If it does the same thing, it's the starter. If it fires up...then there ya go. It's the battery that's focked up.

[sleekcrafter]

One red top Optima is enough to start a high compression motor. Mines 12 years old, and still has enough in it to shear off the starter drive. I've never been stranded from a no start till the starter sheared the bendix. Your starter may have gotten wet at some point, and the armature may be all greasey, or worn? I never did care to the yellow or blue Optima batteries, they seem to have more issues than I care to deal with, and lack the CA of the red Optimas. just my 2cents

[pw_Tony]

Well you did hear everyone's good/bad opinion bout them optimas.... it's was like 50/50. Any news on what the problem is yet?

[SHAWNINATOR]

Thanks for everyones help. Im gonna go load test the blue top. i have another battery im gonna try with more amps. Im pretty sure the starter is shot. There goes another $400.

[SHAWNINATOR]

So i wire brushed the connections on the cables and it turned over alot easier. But still no start. Maybe the race gas went bad. :o

[GUGS102]

unless it's been in there a lOOONG time it should be good. Check for spark and make sure you turned it over enought to get fuel to the carb. Pump the throttle, if you see a squirt, move to the spark. Also what is/was the timing set at?
Give it a small shot of starter fluid, if it tries to fire go back to the fuel and isolate the problem until you find it. Depending on the strength of the fuel pump it could take several revolutions to get fuel to the top. Also try to dump a small amount in the carb. When it lights it will help the pump pull at a higher RPM than the starter will turn it over.

[SHAWNINATOR]

I believe its at full advance. It has a Mallory electronic fuel pump. Its got 6-8 psi when I turn the pump on. Should I just pull a spark plug then hook it up to the wire and try starting it to check for spark?

[River 4 Fun]

I've been told that an Optima won't take a charge with only 2 or 3 amps. It needs a jolt of 25 or 30 or more to take a charge.

[SHAWNINATOR]

so i pulled the plugs and they were super corroded. Put new ones in. got it to turn over but it wants to start but just doenst have it. So i charged the battery over night. Tried starting it this morning and I think my starter is fried. all it does is spin now. Maybe that couldve been the problem the whole time.