starting problem

[rsweld]

just happened, some times when I try to start my 65 289 the starter relay just clicks and battery voltage drops to 7 volts and sometimes the car will start right up. I had the battery checked and they say it is fine. I cleaned the + and - battery cable connections and the - connection on the block. also when it doesn't start the - cable gets really hot. Any suggestions?

 

[Tim65GT]

some times when I try to start my 65 289 the starter relay just clicks and battery voltage drops to 7 volts

If you are measuring directly on the battery posts, then it is a bad battery. It should stay above 9V while cranking.

It sounds like a bad connection, cables, solenoid or starter.

If you can put your voltmeter leads across a cable, for instance from the pos battery post to the solenoid, you can check the voltage drop while cranking. It shouldn't be more than one or two volts. You can do the voltage drop test on the three main start circuit cables (Bat pos, sol to starter and bat ground)and if they are all ok, then it is the solenoid.