Car wont start.....

nmcgrawj

Advanced Member
Sep 28, 2003
3,651
4
68
Indianapolis, IN
Drove the car last week to the police station to get a "fix-it" ticket signed off on. Got out, walked in. Came back. Tried to start the car and it did nothing. Everything seems normal like it usually does except it doesnt crank. Its like trying to start it without pushing the clutch in. I checked the starter relay under the hood. No luck. Any ideas?

:flag:
 
Try starting it while tapping on the starter...If it turns over when you tap, then you know its the starter....if not, then u still don't know anything, lol.

:OT: Any numbers on your combo? Its near identical to mine so i'm curious. Whats the rpm range on your fti cam?

Nate, try tapping the starter like he said as soemone cranks it. The starter may have a hot spot. Make sure its in neutral when you do this ;)
 
u can also try running another ground to the starter. take a set of jumper cables and clamp one end on the neg bat terminal and put the other on one of the bolts

my ground went bad and thats how i figured it out

how old is the starter? the heat from the lt's could have killed it but it most likely woulda been cranking slow for a while
 
Check your clutch safety switch and ensure you have cranking voltage going in and out while the clutch pedal is depressed. You can check the output voltage at the starter relay as well (if that's easier).

Good luck.
 
You talkin about at the starter or at the fuse box under the hood?

Urban is right-on regarding the CSS.

If speaking about the actual relay and solenoid:
You can do either. I'd check the relay at the underhood fuse box because you can check input and output voltage. This gives a direction to go (since the relay is in the middle of the circuit). And it's a 30 second check instead of getting under the car.

If you check the S-terminal circuit at the starter's solenoid and nothing makes it there, you gotta go back to the underhood starter relay anyhow.
 
Ok guys, got the car to start. I used my long 1/2" breaker bar to reach down through the headers and smacked the starter a few times. I hit the body, then i "stabbed" the solenoid a few times. One time i hit the negative terminal and it sparked. I then stopped and went to crank and bam...started right up.

Now i bought the solenoid for the starter less than 1,000 miles ago when i put the motor back together. The starter is a bit older than that. Any idea on whats wrong? I wiggled the wires prior to banging on it and neither seemed lose so i dont think it was a ground issue. But im lost as to what else it could be at this point.
 
Yooo

Ok guys, got the car to start. I used my long 1/2" breaker bar to reach down through the headers and smacked the starter a few times. I hit the body, then i "stabbed" the solenoid a few times. One time i hit the negative terminal and it sparked. I then stopped and went to crank and bam...started right up.

Now i bought the solenoid for the starter less than 1,000 miles ago when i put the motor back together. The starter is a bit older than that. Any idea on whats wrong? I wiggled the wires prior to banging on it and neither seemed lose so i dont think it was a ground issue. But im lost as to what else it could be at this point.

Do yourself a favor .. Un-hook your battery terminals, Jack the car up and take it to auto zone for a FREE test. if it turns out good. get yourself a Volt Meter while you are there and check the (smaller) 12v line coming from the ignition to the starter and make sure your getting 12 volts of current on it. this could just be related to a crappy ground braid going to the engine block.