Engine not cranking

[pattejam]

Hello,

For quite some time I have had intermitten starting problems. It always happens when I drive the car a short distance, turn it off and then try to start it again. The starter always turned, but it would not fire. I would just wait a minute and try it again and it would always start.

Yesterday, I was leaving work and when i turned the key, the starter would not turn. I pushed it to get it started and went home. When I put a test light on the starter selenoid wire and tried to crank, I got no voltage. I jumped the starter selenoid from the positive jumping terminal and it starts fine.

I have read through some of the posts and it would seem to come down to either the ignition switch or the main relay. Everything else works correctly (lights, radio, etc).

Is there a way to determine which part is defective without replacing both?

Thanks in advance.

 

[hlweyl]

When you turn the key to the ON position, listen for the tell tale sign of the fuel pump priming for two seconds. If it doesn't prime, then the most likely culprit is the main relay. Most of the time when the ignition switch is going, you will occasionally get the no cranking sypmtom as well as no dash lights. Try to wiggle the key around when it's in the ON position and see if you can get the dash lights to flicker on and off.

Good luck

 

[Larry Bastanza]

The main relay does not control the starter. It really sounds like your ignition switch, but the other possibilities are your alarm system, starter cut relay, or the clutch switch that cuts the starter out. Any of these will leave no voltage at the starter selinoid lead.

Page 23-75 in the on-line serivce manual shows these items and descibes them and how to check them out.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[apapada]

Maybe not the culprit in your case, but what mine does every so often, is that the battery positive connection somehow does not connect correctly. It is not loose or anything, just jolting it for a second does the trick. Problem is that I need to reset the radio and clock everytime it does that... Check your connection is ok.