Won't Start, not even a click....

[joebmx]

So I get in the car yesterday turn the key and nothing. The radio comes on the lights go up but the engine won't turn, it doesn't even click. I check the connection to the battery, jiggle it around and still nothing. I take it the battery out (it's really old and not to be trusted) bring it to the shop down the street to get a reading and possibly a charge and he said it was reading 10amps or whatever the measurement is that they read at. He said it was fine.

So if not the battery then what? I tired using my Hayes to trouble shoot which is only so helpful since they don't have diagrams for the starter and it took me 10 minutes just to locte the thing. The back of the engine makes perfect sense. ANyway it talked about solenoids and running jumper cables directly to the starter from the battery but it looks like the batter connects directly to the starter why would i do this? I don't know what a solenoid is and I don't have jumpers. Can anyone be of more help than the book.

where to next....whats a solenoid?

 

87 gl - 200k, Carbed

[altrego]

Either you have a bad connection from your battery to the starter, or its time for a new starter.

[one eye]

you might want to check that little Wire that goes to your stater from the ing. switch. If that comes undone your show is over.

 

 

 

Jeff

[ettev]

Give the starter a couple of whacks with a hammer or whatever else you can get in at it with. If there's a high spot on the armature a good hard whack may free it up enough to crank.

 

There may also be a fusible link in the starter circuit, but I'm not 100% sure about that. Maybe someone else will know and post.

[joebmx]

just so I am in the right place...so embarassing considering how much I have done on my own.... The starter is located just underneath the spare tire on the drivers side with wires running directly to it from the battery correct?

Is the wire from the ignition switch pretty obvious? I will have to find where that is located as well. I have never had a starting issue with any car so this is totally foreign to me, thanks for the patience.

[altrego]

Its on the back right part of the starter if I remember right. And yes your correct on where the starter is.

[Gloyale]

You are correct that the battery cables do run to the starter (pos to the starter, Neg to a bracket very near it). That is the main power wire that the starter draws current from.

 

There is also a second, very small wire that attaches to the rear of the starter. (a *spade* connector) This is the *solenoid* terminal, and the wire that signals the starter to turn. It get's power when the key is turned. This is the wire that *comes form the ignition* that was mentioned.

 

What you need to do is bypass that ciruit to test the starter. Here's what to do:

 

Get a 3 or 4 foot piece of wire. 16g or bigger(smaller #) crimp a female *spade* connector to one end. Strip the other end to expose some wires.

 

Connect that spade to the solenoid on the starter.

 

Turn the Key to the *ON* position. make sure the car is in Nuetral (MT) or Park (Auto).

 

Now touch the exposed end of your wire to the POS terminal of the battery. If the starter is good, it will spin and the car should start. If you get nothing, the starter (or at least it's contacts) is bad.

 

If this works, and the car starts, you know that the problem is in the circuit from the ignition switch. Many people remedy this by either installing a pushbutton, or a relay, or a combination of both.

[Cougar]

Another place that is fairly common to have trouble is the fusible links. These look like small pieces of wire. You will find them in a small plastic box mounted on the coolant resevoir. Open the cover to access them and make sure they are making good connection. Look for signs of burning. The black colored one carries the most current.

[audio_file]

this is just a quick question . . .

 

is it automatic? (gear selector position can prevent any cranking- give it a good bump into P)

 

do manuals have a safety switch that's similar (won't allow starter to engage unless clutch is in or car is in N??)

 

chris

[edrach]

Last possibility: if you remove the plastic cowl under the steering column and ignition switch and follow the cable down from the ignition switch to the first plastic connector (about 6"); connector is usually pink but might be white. Examine it for a brown or black discoloration in the plastic. If you see that you have a bad connection with that wire and you're dropping most of your voltage there. Unplug it and re-plug it a few times and that will get you going temporarily. Easiest fix is get a ignition switch and cable from the wrecking yard (Pull a Part is your friend); or wire a connection around the offending terminal.

Let us know what you find.

[carfreak85]

I didn't take the time to see if anyone else suggested this yet. I had the exact same problem. I could get power until I tried starting the car, then I would loose everything. Turned out to be a corroded positive battery terminal/wire. Check that before tearing your dash apart.