starter going bad?

[loyale1993]

This morning when I went to start my 93 loyale 1.8 at it sounded like the starter was stuck. The battery is fully charged. This afternoon I go to start it and it fires right up no problem. Sometimes I have to push the shifter up into park a little bit to get the neutral switch to engage. I did that this morning and nothing. I put the shifter in neutral and nothing. Is the starter going out or possibly the neutral switch?

[l75eya]

Actually it's most likely the ignition switch contacts. Next time it just clicks, after making certain the shifter is definitely in park, try the ignition repeatedly. Just keep jogging it from off to start a few times and see if it finally starts.

It's most likely the switch though and is a relatively common issue. If you search back in this forum a bit there's a thread with easy instructions on how to bypass the ignitions relay with a new one that resolves the problem entirely. I've done it myself to my girlfriend's Loyale and it's 100 percent fixed. And that was after a new battery and a new starter not fixing it.

Edited December 27, 2014 by l75eya

[loyale1993]

Thanks I75eya. I looked up replacing the ignition switch from my manual. It is very straight forward I just need to order the part for a damn $45! I couldn't really understand how to bypass it from what I found searching in other posts on here

Edited December 27, 2014 by loyale1993

[l75eya]

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/149308-no-start-issues-for-1990-loyale-resolved-added-starter-relay/?fromsearch=1

 

That link leads to good information, as well as the one I have linked within it.

[naru]

Sounds more like the neutral switch in this case.

You can check it w/an ohmmeter.

 

I resolved my starting issues by removing the wires from the neurtral switch and connecting them directly.

No more switch = no more problem.

[loyale1993]

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/149308-no-start-issues-for-1990-loyale-resolved-added-starter-relay/?fromsearch=1

That link leads to good information, as well as the one I have linked within it.

Ok I think I'm starting to understand what you're talking about. 1 question though, doesn't the ignition switch have a "dead spot" that wouldn't send power to the bypass circuit just like it is doing now to the starter solenoid?

 

Thanks for finding the link for me.

[loyale1993]

Sounds more like the neutral switch in this case.

You can check it w/an ohmmeter.

 

I resolved my starting issues by removing the wires from the neurtral switch and connecting them directly.

No more switch = no more problem.

I'm not so sure it is the neutral switch anymore. From what I read on here it makes sense that it is the ignition switch. I may eventually end up doing what you did just so I won't have to push the override button to shift into gear. Thanks for the tip.

[l75eya]

From what I understood when I installed the relay trick myself, it's not necessarily a dead spot. It's more of a weak signal. That weak signal isn't strong enough to engage the starter, but it is strong enough to engage the relay you would install which then takes care of the starter itself.

[loyale1993]

From what I understood when I installed the relay trick myself, it's not necessarily a dead spot. It's more of a weak signal. That weak signal isn't strong enough to engage the starter, but it is strong enough to engage the relay you would install which then takes care of the starter itself.

Makes sense. Thanks for your help.

[porcupine73]

Sometimes if the contacts are starting to go bad they say if you tap it with a hammer or similar object then it might kick over. I had that 'weak signal' issue in my '96, for some reason it resulted in a slow cranking speed. I thought the timing was off or the starter was bad, and it turned out it was the neutral switch. I put a fused lead from batt + through a pushbutton then right to the starter solenoid and it worked fine after that.