starter circuit help

[Greybeard]

First let me describe my problem:

My '84 Brat won't crank when it is warm. It always starts right up when cold, if I let it cool for 15 minutes, it will start just fine. The starter works correctly, I bench tested it early in my investigation, and have eliminated it as the culprit. This problem has only shown up in the last week, as the weather has warmed up.

 

Here is what I find:

I do not get power to the solenoid (on the smaller black & yellow wire) from the ignition switch. I do get power on the black & yellow wire at the ignition switch. (All indications are there is an open circuit between them when the car is warm.) If I jump the solenoid from the battery (large wire on starter) it cranks.

 

This car was an automatic converted to a manual by the former owner. I am assuming the "inhibitor switch" (automatic only and I have no idea as to it's purpose, "neutral safty switch" maybe?) was not removed. It is shown in my Haynes manual's electrical schematic, and it is the only component shown between the switch and the solenoid. I think a "faulty "inhibitor switch" is the starter circuit's problem. I think it "opens" when the car gets warm.

 

Here is my problem:

Where is the physical location of this inhibitor switch? What does it look like?

What purpose does it serve?

 

My last resort is to run a new wire from the ignition switch to the starter, bypassing the "inhibitor". That would not be the correct way to solve the problem, it would look "tacky", and I'm not sure of the consequences if I by-pass the 'inhibitor"switch.

 

Can anyone help me out?

[Gloyale]

The inhibitor switch was on the autos shifter. The wires for it are probably still buried under the center console. They should be just directly connected to eachother, switch eliminated.

 

 

MANY of us older subaru owners have had problems with poor power getting to the solenoid. It may not have anything to do with you're swap.

 

I ussually run a fused wire off the battery, or alternately a wire from a fused ignition switched source (depends on wether you want to have you're pushbutton powered by the key switch or not) then mount a pushbutton *momentary contact* switch on the dash.

 

A relay installed on the circuit can also help, but if you are truely getting 0 volts at the solenoid wire, the relay won't help.

[naru]

The inhibitor switch prevents an auto trans car from starting in any shifter position except Park.Since you no longer have an automatic,you can eliminate it w/o fear.

 

Since you have power on the B/Y wire from the ignition switch,it has to be bad inhibitor switch contacts or wiring/connectors between there and the starter.Put your voltmeter on either side of the switch while attempting cranking to confirm.

 

I would eliminate the switch as suggested.

[DaveT]

If this is an EA82 3AT:

 

Wire runs:

 

Starter switch to connector under steering column.

From same connector, under dash, to connector near floor / passenger side.

Same connector under carpet to automatic shifter / inhibitor switch.

From Inhibitor switch back to a connector near floor passenger side.

From that connector, under dash, to big firewall connector.

Firewall connector to starter.

 

Any of those connectors could be intermittant.

 

To find the right side connectors remove the piece of verticle trim under the dash, on the side where the door hinges are. And the plastic that covers the area under the glove box.

[Greybeard]

I wanted to report to the board what I found when I started to check out the "inhibitor" circuit. I found the former owner already jumped out the inhibitor switch, the problem was, when he spliced the starter wire in he did a poor job. He simply stripped back the black & yellow wire from the starter and pushed it into the connector alongside the original black & yellow wire from the ignition switch, then taped it to the wire bundle so it wouldn't fall out. This was a problem just waiting for a ride on a country road. Thanks for your help.