'92 starting problem

[Doc308]

Today , after a drive , I went to start my car to return home and , instead of starting, I heard a single click ( I think from the dash area) and then nothing. All of the electrical accessories (lights, dash lights, directionals, radio, ccu, etc) worked totally fine, with no flickering or dimming at all so I doubt that it had anything to do with the battery. There was no juice getting to the starter at all--just plain dead ( with no cranking either) . I should note that the click I referred to only happened once on the first try to start the car. After that, on subsequent tries, there was nothing at all. The car finally started after turning the key about 4 more times. I should note that, based upon reading "main relay" threads on Prime, I pounded the rear bulkhead covers a few times and, after that the car started. I'm not sure if this was a coincidence or if the main relay contacted after that.
I've seen plenty of threads on the main relay as the culprit in starting problems, but am not sure if this qualifies. Does what I describe sound like a main relay problem? From what I've gathered, the starter would crank with a bad main relay but not start (?) Once again, in my case, there was no firing at all upon turning the ignition key.

 

[Bram]

My second guess after main relay, would be battery connection, ie ground cable.

My guess...Bram

 

[Tomrev]

Possible problem with the clutch switch that engages with clutch depressed?

 

[topman2005]

Today , after a drive , I went to start my car to return home and , instead of starting, I heard a single click ( I think from the dash area) and then nothing. All of the electrical accessories (lights, dash lights, directionals, radio, ccu, etc) worked totally fine, with no flickering or dimming at all so I doubt that it had anything to do with the battery. There was no juice getting to the starter at all--just plain dead ( with no cranking either) . I should note that the click I referred to only happened once on the first try to start the car. After that, on subsequent tries, there was nothing at all. The car finally started after turning the key about 4 more times. I should note that, based upon reading "main relay" threads on Prime, I pounded the rear bulkhead covers a few times and, after that the car started. I'm not sure if this was a coincidence or if the main relay contacted after that.
I've seen plenty of threads on the main relay as the culprit in starting problems, but am not sure if this qualifies. Does what I describe sound like a main relay problem? From what I've gathered, the starter would crank with a bad main relay but not start (?) Once again, in my case, there was no firing at all upon turning the ignition key.

this happened to me last week, 100% the same. All of the electrical accessories worked fine and the battery is 5 days old only. i could only heard a click when turning the key, no cranks! It turned out -> bad main relay.

 

[chudson1549]

this happened to me last week, 100% the same. All of the electrical accessories worked fine and the battery is 5 days old only. i could only heard a click when turning the key, no cranks! It turned out -> bad main relay.

Also remove the air box to get to your starter too. Mine did the same thing. It turned out to be the starter contacts were worn pretty thin. My car is also a 92.

 

[Doc308]

Thanks, comrades. I just ordered a new main relay. We'll see.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

mmm......

The main relay controls the fuel system, not the starter. So although it will keep the car from "starting" it will not keep the car from cranking.

I would check:

1. Loose battery connection
2. Loose starter selonoid lead (it's a push on)
3. Ignition switch - even though the dash lights are OK, it could be the starter curcuit in the switch
4. Starter Cut Relay
5. Starter itself - I have had them go bad

HTH,
LarryB

 

[Doc308]

Thanks, Larry. If you recall, I had this same issue about 18 months ago, but it totally disappeared after you repaired snap ring issue for some reason. This is the first time it's happened since--after hunders of starts with no problem.

I did notice that the starter cranked longer than usual a few times (on previous starts) before this no-start occurred. A mechanic suggested that it could be a "flat spot" in the starter. I did check all of the starter/solenoid/battery connections all seem to be good. Also wondering about malfunctions in the clutch no-start switch and/or the no start relay located behind the glove compartment.

How does one test for all of these possibilities when ithe problem only occurs very erratically? Is there a way of testing the starter w/o removing it from the car?

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Intermittent problems are always a challenge.

But after reading your post and it reminding me, when I did the R & R of the trans the starter is removed and I typically go over the spade lug on the starter selinoid to tightness. I probably recrimped it to get a tight fit on the starter. Perhaps it has lossened again after 18 months. I would remove the connection and pull back the rubber boot on it, and try slipping that spade lug on again and test for loosness. If it is loose again, you may want to consider changing that female spade on the engine wiring harness.

If not that, could be a dead spot as chudson mentions.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[drew]

How does one test for all of these possibilities when the problem only occurs very erratically?

You get a pair of long wires and a light bulb (or LED) and install them across the item to be tested. Either tape them to the rear window or bring the leads into the interior and tape them where the driver can easily see them at all times.... when the problem occurs then you can visually determine if that item is getting/sending power.

Alternately, you can get something like the innovate motorsports LM-1 with the LMA-2, link here: http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/lm1.php
It will log the last 45 minutes of all the test leads and you can recall the data over time on your computer. It is a pretty cool diagnostic tool.

**

Though it doesn't sound like a "flat spot in the starter" to me at all. You would hear something akin to a very VERY upset bumble bee coming from the starter...which you are not describing.

Drew

 

[Doc308]

Yes--there is no noise coming from the starter at all. Aside from that one single click, which clearly came from the dash area on the first try at starting, there was absolutely no noise upon subsequent attempts to start up. It is exactly as if you tried to start the car w/o depressing the clutch pedal. Just plain nothing. Then after 4-5 attempts, it started as though nothing was wrong at all and has been atarted about another 20 times since , with no problem.

 

[Doc308]

Any thoughts about that single click which I heard at the time of the start up problem? I think it emanated from the glove compartment area ( I know that there is a no-start relay behind there). Once again, one click, one time. In subsequent attempts to start, no sounds from anywhere.

 

[Gary W]

Any thoughts about that single click which I heard at the time of the start up problem? I think it emanated from the glove compartment area ( I know that there is a no-start relay behind there). Once again, one click, one time. In subsequent attempts to start, no sounds from anywhere.

Check the 20 amp fuse in the engine compartment. It is related to the security system and the car will not turn over if this fuse is bad.

Gary