How to correctly connect a remote starter switch/tool?

[987687]

I assumed it was automatic, my bad. However, it does not need to see a cranking signal, and I have two reasons.

 

First, with a manual you can roll start the car and pop it in gear, which I have done many times. In this case, the ECU doesn't see a cranking signal because you're doing it with the clutch. Starts and runs just fine.

 

Second, I had an automatic subaru and the inhibitor switch on the transmission failed and it refused to start since it wasn't detecting the car was in neutral. For about a week while waiting for parts I connected a wire to the starter solenoid and ran it into the car, to start I'd turn the key on and stick the wire into the cigarette lighter plug to crank the starter. Since I had the spade connector unplugged, there was no "start signal", but the car started just fine. In the case of the automatic, it threw an NSS code and disabled cruise control.

 

I've had manuals from 96-99 and the auto was a 98. So no, 2nd gens don't need a "cranking signal" to the ECU.

[Gloyale]

check the ECU pinouts for any year.  There is a  reason that they provided this signal to teh ECU for proper startup.

 

Many threads about no start EJ Swaps before they hook up this wire.

[xntryk1]

Follow-up on my starter problem. Got the plunger/contacts set from eBay and was all set and mentally prepared to go through the hassle of yanking the starter and rebuilding the solenoid. But then, in my never-ending search for easy ways out, I decided to try something else first. If that failed, I could still do the solenoid job.

 

There's a guy on youtube - "MercedesDieselGuy - who uploads a lot of videos of work he does on his 1995 Subaru Legacy. In one of those videos, he talks about a starter job he was going to do (because of the same problems I was having). But he had trouble removing the starter, so he tried something else. He cleaned up the outside posts and wire connectors on the starter, put everything back together and the problem went away! So I tried the same thing. I wire-brushed both the posts on the starter and the wire connections thereto. I also completely cleaned the battery connections. And when I clamped everything back together securely, lo and behold, the car started right up. And it has started up every single time since them. It went from absolutely ZERO starting ability (requiring a bump start every single time) to normal starting on the first turn of the key!

 

Now, at 215K, I'm sure that starter will probably still need to be rebuilt eventually. But this is something that's worth a try, first. I was shocked that it actually worked. I hardly ever get off that easy! 

Edited February 4, 2018 by xntryk1

[sparkyboy]

Awesome!

I guess always check the basics and spend time screwing around on you tube 

Kinda funny that nobody mentioned that here :-D

[987687]

So you sparked a random pet peeve of mine... MercedesDieselGuy on youtube doesn't always do things correctly. I was looking for an easy way out of repairing something on my old Mercedes and he had a solution that was outright dangerous and would cause eventual damage to the engine. Just a warning about him...

[xntryk1]

Yeah, no worries. I've noticed he doesn't always have the correct answers. That's why I come here.    But in this particular instance, his advice seemed harmless and actually worked! Thanks for the warning. 

[xntryk1]

FINAL CHAPTER (I hope): Well, after months of the car starting just fine (after cleaning all the outside connections), it finally stopped starting altogether. No amount of cleaning would fix it. So I went ahead and yanked the starter and replaced the contacts inside the solenoid. I was going to replace the plunger too, but naturally the cheap-o set of parts I got on eBay included the WRONG size plunger (too short)! Too late to anything about it, so I just shined up the old plunger (which thankfully wasn't too worn) and re-used that. Once I got the old copper contacts out, it was obvious why the car refused to start. One side was was worn down to almost to razor thin and the other side about halfway (see pic). Put it all all back together and VROOOOM! Instant start, just like it's supposed to. Hopefully, I can get another 219K out of those contacts. :-)