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Starting issues (1985 Subaru GL, EA81.)


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Starter obviously went bad, Replaced it, Car fires right up then dies, Due to being cold and sitting for a coupla days. Then will not start just clicks, Check connections boost battery nothing. REMOVE Starter solenid, Dosent change anything, The starter just clicks....Help me!

 

Get an actual new or known good battery and try that. Sometimes just boosting doesn't work. Just a thought but wouldn't hurt to try!

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Try jumping to the starter itself. You'll see the small wire, 12v from ignition to engage solenoid. And the big wire, battery voltage to turn starter.

Put the car in nuetral, pull the coil wire, then jump from the battery to the small wire connection, this should engage the starter. Then jump to the big wire connection, this should spin the starter. If you jump it and the starter engages and spins fine, you have a problem with the key switch or between the switch and the starter.

I agree that it could also just be the battery, if it got too cold anf dead for too long, it won't take a charge.

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We charged the battery and it showed +12 volts. We tryed to push start it and it still wouldnt go, Could it be a bad Starter Solonied? Frank B, Could you clarify? Do you mean the Ground from the distrubutor? Remove that?

 

remove the little black wire from the starter and jump it. But if its not jump starting with a push than it wouldn't be the starter. Make sure you check the fusible links on the drivers side under the hood. Make sure they are all in good shape. I had one go on me one time and it wouldn't start.

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I know the fusible links beside the battery are good, Ill check the drivers side ones. So Basically pushstarting does the same thing as jumping the starter then...I installed an EJ22 Rad and for fitment i had to move the harness but i made shure not to wreck anything, is it possible i broke a ground? Its weird though, it fired right up the first time then just clicked every other time after that, i thought ill diagnose it after we push start it but that wouldnt even work everything electrically works. Ill look into those tihngs and get back to you guys, thanks for the help!

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When you tried to push start it, it probably didnt start because its cold. Its not that easy to push start a car.

 

Voltage is not always the issue its amps. A batt. can read 12v but fall short on the amps needed to crank cold. If you are really sure its not the battery....

Turn on your head lights try to crank... Do thy get dimm?

Clean your terminals with the proper tool weather they look clean or not.

Are the pretty chewed up, there needs to be a pretty good connection here.

Check the wires just after the terminal are they corroded?

Replace them and the terminals. Its usually the + that gets the worst.

These can be a pain in the gas.

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When you tried to push start it, it probably didnt start because its cold. Its not that easy to push start a car.

 

Voltage is not always the issue its amps. A batt. can read 12v but fall short on the amps needed to crank cold. If you are really sure its not the battery....

Turn on your head lights try to crank... Do thy get dimm?

Clean your terminals with the proper tool weather they look clean or not.

Are the pretty chewed up, there needs to be a pretty good connection here.

Check the wires just after the terminal are they corroded?

Replace them and the terminals. Its usually the + that gets the worst.

These can be a pain in the gas.

 

This car has been having starting issues for a while, but i guess it was pretty cold aswell. SO i need a new starter soleniod anyways after that ill put in a diffrent battery. Thanks for the info, it is really apreciated.

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REMOVE Starter solenid, Dosent change anything, The starter just clicks....Help me!

 

What does this mean? If you remove the solenoid, there isn't any way the starter COULD operate.

 

Other than the soleenoid built into the starter, there isn't any other solenoid or relay.

 

 

Sounds like you have a ig. switch problem. Install either a relay or a pushbutton. Search "pushbutton"

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That push button bypasses the ignition switch start feature, so you can rule that out.

I would say that if a new battery doesn't do it, remove the starter, remove the end of the solenoid to get to the contacts and the plunger. Push the plunger down and see if it makes contact with the contacts. If so, it's not that. Also, apply voltage to the starter only, not the solenoid. the starter should engage and turn over the engine, with a good battery. If it doesn't turn over, replace the starter.

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That push button bypasses the ignition switch start feature, so you can rule that out.

I would say that if a new battery doesn't do it, remove the starter, remove the end of the solenoid to get to the contacts and the plunger. Push the plunger down and see if it makes contact with the contacts. If so, it's not that. Also, apply voltage to the starter only, not the solenoid. the starter should engage and turn over the engine, with a good battery. If it doesn't turn over, replace the starter.

 

 

Thanks for the info, ill put the starter to the very last since it is BRAND new, but all this info is saving my broke rump roast!

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Since the "never fail" button works

this might help

starterrelay.jpg

 

Im not usful with wiring, but thats a great diagram thanks!

 

So i put the charged battery in, replaced the solenoid and try to start! and CLICK, click clickdy click!

 

SO we try to push start it and VROOOMMM it starts up!

 

Is it possible the brand NEW starter i got is ************?

 

This is really weird...COuld a way to far adavanced distbutor cause this?

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Ive got warranty and everything for the starter, do you think my best/first option is to exchange it for another one?

 

Or is there another, deeper problem.

 

This is what happened from the beginning.

 

Lonaed Car to Friend, He backs up into a light pole and wreck the taillight.

 

He chops the Exhuast.

 

He complains about starting problems.

 

I get the car back.

 

Starts fine for a while and then Grinds like a mofo when trying to start, like the starter is grinding the flywheel.

 

This was just a cheap DD, so if i just stopped and retryed it would start.

 

Then occasionly, the Car would crank by the KEY! even with the bypass switch button thingy.

 

Sometimes it wouldnt start and id leave it for a sec and then it would start.

 

Then one day the Starter just makes a wierd noise and then i just hear the Starter spinning freely.

 

The teeth on the starter were chewed but not bad, the starter spun freely either direction and you could pull it in and out.

 

Replace the Starter, Replace the leaky Rad.

 

Car fires up first TRY!

 

It then dies because it was cold and hadt run for a few days, try to start it again and nothing!

 

The flywheel could not be possibly damaged could it?

 

I cant be push starting my car around in the winter with a NEW starter, mi thought id let you guys know from thre beginning but ill go exchange this starter and see whats up, appreciate all the info up to hear its really helping me alot!

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I'd say take the starter back, they should bench test it and if it tests ok, you have a wiring problem. If not they'll give you a new one. When you remove the starter you should be able to see the teeth on the flywheel, turn the engine by hand with the plugs out to see all of them. Usually the starter gear is a softer metal than the ring gear(flywheel) just for this reason.

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I'd say take the starter back, they should bench test it and if it tests ok, you have a wiring problem. If not they'll give you a new one. When you remove the starter you should be able to see the teeth on the flywheel, turn the engine by hand with the plugs out to see all of them. Usually the starter gear is a softer metal than the ring gear(flywheel) just for this reason.

 

Thank YOu alot!

 

My brother will take it back for me Friday and i will fix it Saturday morning, For right now im getting him to push start it with his friends pick me up in it then im going to go wire up a fan for the RAd so i can work on the timing. What kind of a wiring problem would just cause the Starter to click? I know the wiring has been very meesy by the battery since i got the car but has never been a problem, i checked all the fusable links and they all looked very good, there is many unconnected connectors but im assuming that was for "optional A/C" Is there a home test method for checking the Starter, i know someone just mentioned it but i dont want to Electricute myself. Could a Frayed power wire to the starter Cause this? Becaus ei know mine is in horrible shape, im getting new terminals and iwres today anyways.

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Your starter is really two seperate things, the solenoid, then the starter motor, which you know. The solenoid is just a switch. It makes contact when the ignition switch, or pushbutton, applies 12v to it. When 12v is applied, the plunger slides forward to make contact between the starter contacts and the brass/copper ring on the plunger which completes the circuit for the full battery amperage to go to the starter motor. The clicking is the plunger slapping the contact(s). If one of the contacts is out of alignment or worn, it won't complete the circuit. If the battery cables are frayed, burnt, corroded, and will not carry the battery amperage, you'll still get the clicking but no action from the starter. Use a pair of jumper cables, put the red clamp on the starter lug, the one that is opposite from the one the battery cable is on(bypassing the solenoid contacts), and the other red one on the positive terminal of the battery. With the car in nuetral, and ignition off or disabled. It should spin the starter. If not, your battery is toast, or the starter is toast.

Your battery could have enough power to click the solenoid, but not the high amp starter motor.

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