Updates coming soon! I spent many an hour on the Javelin on Saturday and hopefully some more this weekend. I have a lot of pics to upload tonight and tomorrow, made some awesome progress. 
Updates coming soon! I spent many an hour on the Javelin on Saturday and hopefully some more this weekend. I have a lot of pics to upload tonight and tomorrow, made some awesome progress.
Update 2/10/2011
Here we go! Updates from the Saturday wrench-a-thon:
Now that the long, cold, and rainy winter is nearing being done I’ve been able to start working on the Javelin again. First step is still to get it running. The fluids look clean enough and there’s no leaks so on to the important bits. Being a 73, it has electronic ignition so no points to check. The rotor and cap did have some corrosion however, and one of the plug wires was broken.
All eight spark plugs were then pulled both to assess their condition and to spray down the cylinder walls with oil lube to break the rings free if needed. Not bad, but their cheap so we’ll replace them anyways.
So it was off to the parts store! What you see here is a new battery, battery cables, fuel filter, fuel hose, oil filter, oil (yes it’s “racing oil”, for the high ZDDP content, this is a soft-seat, flat-tappet cam car…), spark plugs, plug wires, rotor, and distributor cap.
Okay and a few hours later, everything is installed! We are really close to trying to start her up for the first time. You’ll notice I also changed out the starter solenoid on the fender well as I diagnosed the old one as bad (big surprise). I still don’t have movement at the starter so it will be replaced, along with the starter cable and ground strap (mostly because I have all that stuff as new anyways). Then it will be time to turn the engine over by hand, then by starter, then connect the coil…
And in case you were wondering, the fuel line was not only to replace the connections on the filter, but also to run from the pump to a gas can on the ground. I'm sure the tank is nothing but varnish. Once I get a live fire and confirmation of oil pressure it will be shut down, the oil changed, and then fired again.
very excited....looking forward to more updates
The suspense is killing me...
Moar! Moar! Moar!
Update! 2/13/2011
Engine has now been turned over by hand, and the car is ready for the new starter and the last few cables. Will we hear it run today for the first time in decades?
Soooooooo close! The starter and cables are in and I got the starter turn the engine over! Unfortunately, not with the key. There[' still something not allowing the solenoid to fire the starter. I think the only thing left is the neutral safety switch. So I hooked up my momentary switch that I use to bump starters and it worked for a good few revs before the switch shorted out and burned up. 
I think it's time to run to the store and grab a real mechanic's starter button and make this old girl breathe some fire again!
Drat, foiled! The ignition switch went right in but then I wasn't able to get the starter to engage again. After some fiddling with my new actual remote starter switch, I still wasn't able to nab anything. Then the weather started to suck, so I called it for this weekend. Hopefully my shorting starter switch didn't hurt anything and I just have to do some adjusting.
You did try starting in park and neutral right?
My old fairlane had a sloppy column shifter that had to be held upward to start in park but could be started in neutral the way ford intended.
Yes, I tried that. The actual ignition switch on these is on the bottom of the column with a metal rod that goes into it, operated by the key (it's an off-the-shelf GM column). I replaced that and even tried just moving that switch by hand (screwdriver actually). Mine is a floor shift, but I did try moving it all over. I'm calling the AMC experts today (my whole family, they all own them ) to see what I'm missing. I do have a 73 AMC Service Manual (BIG book!) with all the wiring diagrams too, in case I need to start chasing things down.
Good luck. I'm way excited to see this thing progress.
Update 2/21/2011
Here’s the new starter in place, with new cable. This old car is a joy to work on! The starter is easily accessible and held on with only 2 bolts and the cable. It is very heavy, but I’m 99% sure the starter motor makes more torque than a 13B…
Still had a no-start situation with the Javelin, so I grabbed a new ignition switch and installed it. This is a common 70’s GM unit (as AMC switched to a GM column in 70). It actually bolts to the bottom of the column, and the key moves a metal rod with a hook that goes inside of this switch.
Okay, a recap. The Javelin now sports the following new parts: battery, battery cables, ground cables, starter cable, starter, starter solenoid, ignition switch, and ignition module. Yet there’s still no starting (as in not even a whir from the starter motor). So I dug into it this weekend to investigate…
First the multi-meter came out and I confirmed 12V at the battery, solenoid, and ignition. Unfortunately nothing on the keyed side. So I pulled the ignition switch under the column again, checked it, and it was okay. Still no power, even with “screwdrivering” the switch. So I re-installed that and went further down the line.
By un-doing the starter cable I could 12V to the cable! A-ha! The “new” starter was bad! (I bought it new last spring for my Hornet, which used the same starter). I took it back to NAPA and when they strapped it on the machine it nearly broke it with so much torque…
Hmmm… So I put the starter back in and took the battery out! It must just not have the amps. I stuck it on the charger and sure enough, it was low! After re-charging (note: I leave the battery un-plugged in the Javelin) still nothing. So I took the battery in to get tested…
And wonder of wonders it tested out fine. Where was I going wrong? A quick look at the factory service manual and the wiring diagrams leads to only 2 culprits. Either the neutral safety switch, or the starter solenoid (a Ford unit, mounted to the fenderwell).
So I ordered a new solenoid again. My theory is that when my momentary switch died it must have shorted out the “new” (again, left over from the Hornet) solenoid. Nothing short of throwing the starter cable on the battery is going to make it work if the solenoid is bad!
Keep your fingers crossed…
(Note: The AMC is weird. It uses a GM column and switch, a Ford solenoid, and a Chrysler 727TF transmission. Luckily that parts-binning with common components has made it easy to get parts for.
Also, I have turned the engine through at least 8 revolutions by hand using only a 1/2" drive ratchet on the crank bolt. You can feel compression in each cylinder and it turns freely so the starter is not getting hung up or overwhelmed. I have gotten the starter to churn two times, both before the momentary switch died. I have a real remote starter switch now in case the key still doesn't work.)
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/4366/
Just in case you haven't seen all the updates or voted the Javelin up yet 
Fingers are crossed for you mate
I had a 74 Javelin AMX once upon a time. Truly the only car I've ever had that I regretted selling.
ST_ZX2 wrote: Moar! Moar! Moar!
God I hope your kidding or drunk. My daughter could spell "more" at 3 years old!
pinchvalve wrote:ST_ZX2 wrote: Moar! Moar! Moar!God I hope your kidding or drunk. My daughter could spell "more" at 3 years old!
It's an internet/kid thing!
Picking up the new solenoid today and some more cables (have the engine to chassis ground still to do, and the Positive battery cable is just way too long). I'm going to be out all weekend so I might try this on a weeknight, except it's supposed to snow 1-3" tomorrow! 
Javelin wrote: Picking up the new solenoid today and some more cables (have the engine to chassis ground still to do, and the Positive battery cable is just way too long). I'm going to be out all weekend so I might try this on a weeknight, except it's supposed to snow 1-3" tomorrow!
I actually was just about to suggest that. The starter solenoid on mine was toast when I got it, and I screwed around with a bunch of stuff before figuring that out. It was an easy replacement, and the car started right up.
wow, good luck man, I think this is the most anticipated "my car wont start" thread ever. We are pulling for you man!
4cylndrfury wrote: wow, good luck man, I think this is the most anticipated "my car wont start" thread ever. We are pulling for you man!
And trust me it is not on purpose! My stomach hurts right now and all I want to do is hear this thing run! 
Put the volt solenoid wire from the battery. It should read 12.8 -13.5 volts.
Now turn the key and see if it goes away.
If it does, go to the battery and measure the voltage ON THE POST not he clamps. Turn key. If it goes away, I would suspect battery.
If the voltage does not drop, repeat with the meter leads on the post and see if it goes away. If it does, the inside of the terminals needs cleaning.
Also, just to make sure, clamp a jumper clamp from the block to the frame; your ground cable could be bad.
my money is on poor ground from battery to chassis or from chassis to engine -- or from battery to engine if the cable bypasses the chassis and goes directly to the engine as it did on my '72 monte carlo.
Negative cable goes directly to engine, and is brand new. Positive cable goes to Ford solenoid (which I just picked up another new one at NAPA), and then a cable goes from there to the starter (both new). I'm 99% sure the solenoid conked out, but I got a new engine to frame ground cable just in case (last thing not replaced). The neutral safety switch will just be bypassed. (It's on top of the transmission next to the shfter, unplug both wires from the switch and plug them into each other.)
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