Kirkham Will Not Start

[vnms65]

Looking for an assist!

My Kirkham will not start unless I connect a jumper pack. Once I get it running, it works fine until I switch the fan on or off, at which time the engine immediately kills? I turn the battery switch on. The ignition key is on. All fuses checked. I have charged the battery...no go. Nothing. No indication of any power at all. have replaced the Odyssey 925 battery with a new one, no go. Yet, when I attach the jumper pack to the battery terminals, power to the dash is resumed, etc and i am able to start the car. I then disconnect the pack, drive it...but as soon as I turn on the fan switch...car dies.

Help?

Thanks,

Al

[saltytri]

Take two aspirin. Call David or Thomas in the morning.

[Barnsnake]

It's possible your battery cables aren't connecting electrically to the battery. Once it starts off the jumper, the alternator is powering the system. The fan takes much of what the alternator can provide and the engine dies. Clean the terminals and battery posts with sandpaper, reconnect, and try again.

Failing that, get a voltmeter and find out where the power stops.

[tcrist]

Check your grounds. You do not say if this is a new build or not. If it is a new build and you painted things, you could have paint at the ground connection areas on the frame. If it has been built for a while, you could have corrosion between the ground areas. I would check those areas first.

[vnms65]

Hey guys,

Did speak with Kirkham prior to replacing battery. They recommended replacement. Unfortunately, does not appear to be the issue as new battery did not correct issue. I have checked cables, etc. Kill switch is fine. When I use jump pack, I connect it to Battery and everything works fine....until I hit the fan switch,,,and it dies, at which time the car cannot be restarted without the jump pack.

This is a three year old factory build, unpainted. Scratching my head....and it is a beautiful driving day out there today!I am relegated to my carbon credit Prius for the day!

Other ideas?

Thanks!

Al

[mrmustang]

Voltage regulator or alternator issues, easiest and cheapest is to replace the voltage regulator first.


Bill S.

[jhv48]

Two things, check the amp/volt gauge on your dash with the car running. If the amp gauge is slightly to the left of the center line, you are running off of the battery only and your alternator is either not functioning OR the wire connecting it to the system is broken/disconnected. If the volt meter doesn't show around 13 volts when running, you've got an alternator/regulator problem. Do your dash gauges fail to work with the engine running? That's because there isn't enough battery power to run your engine and any accessories.

Does your amp meter jump in the negative range about -25amps when the fan comes on? If so, alternator isn't connected or is faulty.

If you can start the car with the jumper battery, then your wires from the battery to the rest of the car are fine.

My guess is that you are running only off of the battery and when the fan kicks on, it uses so much power that there isn't much left to power the engine.

Trace the wire leading to/from the alternator. You will find a break or loose wire. Your battery may be shot too, due to the continued draining. Take it to an auto parts store and have them test it and fully charge it for you. O'reilly does this for free.

[Excaliber]

I reminded of the very first Corvettes that were "rolled off the assembly". Literally rolled because they would not start, GM had yet to figure out that a fiberglass body would not support a good ground.

Not that this is the problem here, I was just musing about such things...

[Ronbo]

Depends on where your connecting to...

Are you using the car side of the cut off switch as one of the connections?

Cliping directly to the bolts on the battery or the lugs?

Just to eliminate it try disconnecting the car ground lead from the switch and hooking directly to the battery post.

Don't assume the cables are good as the crimped cup in the terminal can still get corroded or loose since their not soldered on. (although Kirkham does a good job of sealing the terminals, you may have a "soft" crimp)

Keep in mind you also have a very small surface contact area using lugs to the battery so it needs to be spotless.

Another thing to check is clearance of the battery bolts; take the lugs off and just run the bolts into the battery to see where they bottom out. (how much gap is left)

This sounds like a connection problem or a bad cut off switch. (depending on what your "jumping" to)

[David Kirkham]

Did you call and talk to Thomas today? He can figure most of these things out very quickly.

David

[vnms65]

Thanks for all the help, guys. Some terrific suggestions and I spent the day looking at all of them. No luck (Dave, I called on Monday and was told I probably had to replace the battery. I did, but no change in issue. Called again today this am, but missed you/Tom....got sidetracked and did not call back).

Car is now at G&S Performance in Redwood City. 5 mile drive from house, did not turn on fan. By the time I got there, shop checked new battery. It was almost fully drained, making me think car is simply running off of battery? Current thinking is starter/starter solenoid is too close to header, frying inside wire(s). When we add jimp pack, power surge overcomes damaged wiring... Anyway, I will know more tomorrow.

Dave, I will call Thomas tomorrow, thanks!

[ng8264723]

Let us know what happened

[pusherfans]

Sounds like a battery cable problem. Try cleaning the contact area of the cable clamps that attach to the battery "lugs" with stainless steel brush. If that does not work, replace the cables to the battery.

BTW, did you load test the new battery? New does not mean good.

[jhv48]

If you are draining the battery, then there is no charge getting from the alternator to the battery. The car is running solely off of the battery,

Did you have the alternator output checked? And if the alternator is working properly, is the charge reaching the battery? Obviously not.

Mine had a similar problem. Gauges would refuse to work while running, car wouldn't start unless jumped, fan wouldn't even come on at all. The wire to the alternator had broken at the atachment post. Drained two batteries until I found the broken connector.

[rodneym]

I recently had charging problems too but not quite as severe.
The cables going to the kill switch were loose. The nuts were so loose, they may as well have been off completely. They were tight when the roller was delivered as well as when the the finished car was delivered. Must be the big block.
Which reminds me, I should add some wicking thread lock in there.

[RodKnock]

I had an electrical issue some time ago and I took it to Steve (PANAVIA) at the Mustang Ranch in Santa Clara. When it comes to electrical knowledge and sorting electrical issues, he is/was a genius.

If I remember correctly, then there was a design flaw in the wiring harness and I can't remember the brand name of the wiring harness that the Kirkhams supplied with my car. Again, from memory, I think the starter switch was being overloaded and would infrequently shut the car down.

Call Steve Wood at the Mustang Ranch or email him. The guy gave me pics of everything with arrows, labels, modifications. He's very detailed and methodical.

[RodKnock]

More.

Steve provided me with a 10-page photo album with step-by-step detail of what he modified. He talked with the wiring harness manufacturer several times and said that they were going to incorporate his changes into future production.

Whether they did or not, I don't know.

[vnms65]

So here goes....

G&S Pereformance In Redwood City did a laudable job. Frankly, I was going to go see Steve at Mustang Ranch, but car was in such poor shape (would not start without jumper pack) and was leaking oil (I had thought it a rear main seal)' that i needed to get some quick attention.

I lucked out. Lupe and Mario at G&S figured it out pretty quick. Starting solenoid was too close to header...overheated, causing bridging/ground. As car was grounded out, drain on battery was continous, killing Odyssey battery.

Installed new mini performance starter, rotated 5" away from headers...started right up and Votmeter holding at over 14, but for when fan is on at which time. It sits just under 13. I ran tonight with lights, fan, fuel pump and worked great.


Additionally, found out leaks were coming from Aviad oilcan and Tony Branda valve covers. Over time, bolts came loose loose, etc..Go figure! ;-). They cranked everything down and so far ,so good. Additionally, installed temporary PCV over baffled Branda valve covers....starting easier and no blow by of oil on the finned valve covers. We have the Shelby PCV on order and will replace temporary PCV with those parts on arrival.

Tentatively optimistic we have addressed issues. I hope so!

All of you have been great! I really appreciate the input and constructive suggestions! Thank you! Here is hoping we have nailed it !


Cheers,

Al

[Tim Brewer]

Your alternator is likely dead.. and your car is running off of the battery only. Also, when a car is run with a bad alternator it does suck the battery dry and the battery will never charge again. It's too late now, but if you ever have an electrical problem again, save yourself some bucks and try to let your local auto parts store diagnose problems like that.

[Tim Brewer]

Well, I guess my response is late, I didn't see the second page on this thread. Sounds like you have a handle on things now.