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Mon Mar 17, 2003 12:19 pm

Well I got done putting a new alternator in my 70 bus and after all that the battery ended up being hooked up backwards. The thing is the bus started before I realized the connections where backwards. Well I fixed the connections and now the bus won't start at all. The starter is turning but it won't turn over. Does anyone know why else the bus would not start and what else could have gotten fried from the battery being hooked up backwards? Also the 10mm nut that holds the distributor tight is loose, could that cause the bus not to start? Thanks for the help.

Mon Mar 17, 2003 5:31 pm

The solinoid is the magnetic trigger that kicks out the gear to start the engine (the little round cylinder bolted to the starter case). If the starter turns ,but not the engine then replace the solinoid. The bolt on the dist shouldn't be a major prob to starting ,but at high RPM the timming can be self adjusting if that bolt isn't tight. Make sure your timing is still right then tighten it good.

Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:58 am

Thanks but it turned out that the wire going to the solinoid had come loose. I reattacthed it and it turned right over. I was so worried about the battery being backwards I did not look for easy fix. My radio is shot now though. O'well it could have been alot worse! I need to buy a new clamp for the distributor I guess becuase the nut won't stay tight. Thanks again.

Tue Mar 18, 2003 8:30 am

Check for a fuse before you throw your radio away. If you don't have one, it's probably toast. If there is one, it would have blown almost instantaneously when the battery was in backward.

You're not alone. I sold a pickup a while back and took a fairly low barter because it was having electrical problems, wouldn't charge, and the radio couldn't be connected. The guy called a couple days after the sale and said that turning the battery around fixed all of the problems.

Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:11 pm

Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:11 pm

That sounds like something I'd do! lol