My '73 B200 (LA 360 engine, 727 trans) wouldn't start yesterday after I parked it.

Symptoms are as follows:

- key in and turned to Accessory, ampmeter moves a tiny bit.
- headlights work at this point.
- try to start the van, clicks once like a starter on a low battery but only once.
- after that, headlights don't work and no further clicks on trying to start

If I pull the key and wait a few minutes, I can go back through those steps. It never cranks and after I try to start it, there is no power from the battery to the van for a few minutes. Headlights only work until I try to start the van one time.

I walked home, brought back a charged battery and tried again... same exact symptoms.

I noticed that the positive battery terminal was warm (not hot) after I'd tried to start it.


Any thoughts on what this might be?

 

Went back again with another battery and it fired right up. I'll have the other two batteries tested.

 

All three batteries appear fine. The van is working properly now and I don't know what caused this.

Any suggestions?

I'm heading to the junkyard soon so I can start stockpiling electric components for the next time something happens.

 

Replace the positive cable to solve the problem. Since the negative cable is so easy to change, you might want to just do that one while you're at it.