[cdiedrick]

I have a 79 T-Bird that I plan on using as a winter car. This car has sat for about two years and has always had a hard cranking problem. I think that it has gotten worse with sitting and I can't get it to fire anymore. I believe it is because it cranks so slow. I put in an optima battery that I robbed from one of my other vehicles so I know the battery is good. Where should I start on this?

[poncho62]

1-Check your connections and your cables....both ends....and at the solenoid......Make sure they are all clean and tight.................2-Starter may be bad.

[79C10]

Originally Posted by cdiedrick

I have a 79 T-Bird that I plan on using as a winter car.

Speaking from personal experience , these are NOT good 'winter' cars! I can't hardly keep er from spinning out on a wet road - I wouldn't even want to think about snow.....
Mine's got the 403 w auto trans - nothing special or aftermarket. If the one you speak of is built up at all , put some sandbags in your trunk....or something. The hard starting thing... I don't know. My '79 never has a problem , but the '80 does. sometimes it cranks fine , it turns pretty fast (woopita-woopita-woopita ) and sometimes it'll just barely turn over (rrrroomp-rrroommp rrrromp )and doesn't seem to want to go. It's got a 301. I barely ever drive it ,so I just let it be.9 out of 10 times it's fine.
I hope you get yours figger'd out

[alittle1]

I would get the starter overhauled, new brushes, bushings, clean up the commutator. and while it was off the car, clean up the battery cables, put some die-electric grease on the terminals and wire connectors. Make sure the ground is good and solidly connected to the engine block.

[cdiedrick]

Thanks for the info guys. I will look into it tomorrow, get the ground to block cleaned, check the positive cable to starter cleaned, clean the posts, then if it still doesn't work, I guess I should get the starter either tested or replaced. I am still using this as a winter car. Not so much as just to drive, but rather to beat on ya know. I have a good 79 and this was a parts car, but I am sick of it, so I plan on using it, then selling it later on.

[onebadmerc]

If the wire going from the solenoid to the starter gets hot, the starter is either going bad or the starter wire is loose, otherwise check your ground and clean your battery terminals. I had the exact same problem on my 73 Mustang, after I realized the starter was bad, I changed it and had no more starting issues.