wvumtnbkr said:I have had this exact issue with cutoff switches. They will test fine, but under load will provide enough resistance to cause your exact issue.
Just eliminate the kill switch for testing. If it starts fine, it's just a tired kill switch.
I'm incredibly happy to have this Wrinkle in my brain. I never thought about a kill switch going bad causing this issue. I have fought it before but never found it.
Indy - Guy said:In reply to Stampie :
You now have good ground to the frame. As part of your diagnostics, I would suggest verifying you have a known good ground from the frame to the engine. The starter is going to pull some current while cranking.
Good point. I'll look at that this afternoon. It is solid mounted so I don't think that'd be a problem.
wvumtnbkr said:I have had this exact issue with cutoff switches. They will test fine, but under load will provide enough resistance to cause your exact issue.
Just eliminate the kill switch for testing. If it starts fine, it's just a tired kill switch.
Yeah I was thinking about that yesterday evening and then again this morning as I took a quick look. I still want to replace the battery lead to the switch as it's house thick stranded wire and not how I'd like it. The cable to the starter looks better.
Ok you got me thinking so I took a morning break and went to check. I felt really uneasy with the thought of bypassing the cut off switch but couldn't place why until I started bypassing it. That's when it hit me that Tony doesn't have a fuse panel. Everything gets power right off the switch. Let's continue on. Of course the easy way would be to move the battery lead to the output of the switch. Of course the battery lead was too short. I ended up having to do a jumper across the terminals. No good. Still have the voltage drop down into the high 8s now. I need to throw the charger back on the battery to get it back up fully charged.
In reply to Stampie :
If I'm understanding correctly, you can charge the battery up fully, but then the voltage drops when you try to start it, but the voltage doesn't recover?
In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
No the voltage recovers. Well other than the normal drain of cranking it over and over. For example yesterday I think I started at 12.9 volts at the battery. After cranking it a lot I was around 12.1 volts this morning. But during cranking it'll drop down at least 3 volts.
Another way to test your theory is to hook up 1 battery just for the starter and another separate battery to power everything else.
Or, to put it another way, have another source for 12v to the ecu.
Stampie said:Ok you got me thinking so I took a morning break and went to check. I felt really uneasy with the thought of bypassing the cut off switch but couldn't place why until I started bypassing it. That's when it hit me that Tony doesn't have a fuse panel. Everything gets power right off the switch. Let's continue on. Of course the easy way would be to move the battery lead to the output of the switch. Of course the battery lead was too short. I ended up having to do a jumper across the terminals. No good. Still have the voltage drop down into the high 8s now. I need to throw the charger back on the battery to get it back up fully charged.
How big was the jumper wire? Like normal starter cable size? If not, then I'd probably try it again with like a screwdriver or something bridged across the posts.
In reply to wvumtnbkr :
Thought about that. Do able. But I want to replace that cable anyway. The jumper was 1 foot of 4 guage.
Stampie said:In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
No the voltage recovers. Well other than the normal drain of cranking it over and over. For example yesterday I think I started at 12.9 volts at the battery. After cranking it a lot I was around 12.1 volts this morning. But during cranking it'll drop down at least 3 volts.
Have you tried the battery in a different vehicle? If it starts a different vehicle fine, then I'd think you have a bad starter.
In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
I haven't but I have put a new battery in with no change. The start turns over nicely just no fire. I freaked a little last night looking at the alternator. It's on the wrong side for a B series engine. It's also really small. Looking from the top it didn't look like an alternator. I ended up taking off the side panel so that I could see it better. It's the cutest little alternator I've ever seen.
I also found out that if you soild mount your engine/transmission then you can attach accessories to the frame.
Took a morning break to look it it more. First I grabbed the handy Moss Motors flashlight that came in the swag bag at the car show Friday.
I always wondered about the captive bolt jack point. Simple. I love KISS.
After removing the other side panel it didn't take long to find this on the starter cable. Funny nothing hot near it now. Wonder if that happened and then got rerouted without replacing it.
Well that looks troublesome.
This thing is rad! following along
Yesterday I got connectors in and made some pretty cables..
I was off on my from the junkyard cable lengths. I was thinking the work area was 8 feet long. It's not. Measured I got 15 feet from the yard. Above is 9 feet used. I put them in even moving the alternator lead over so that the cut off switch totally cut off the car.
After that it was a long start with no fix. I still see the voltmeter on the switch panel dropping too much. 
Please go get another cutoff switch. They are cheap and at like every part store ever. It will be worth it just to 100% confirm.
We used these ones for years in the racecar.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/dorman-electrical-switches-specialty-battery-cut-off-100-amp-battery-isolator-85988/12067637-p?product_channel=local&store=9954&adtype=pla_with_promotion&product_channel=local&store_code=9954&&&&&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwncWvBhD_ARIsAEb2HW8s_TK3KILHslmZKKul0yrH-hAzex4ILtH3H-FDhLMip0rzyyeo_hMaAg9uEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
In reply to wvumtnbkr :
I totally bypassed the switch with no change.
Stampie said:In reply to wvumtnbkr :
I totally bypassed the switch with no change.
I hear ya. I'll venmo you the 20$.
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