Car won't start

Look up Jrincher and he will help with his no start list

Calling JRichker.... Calling JRichker... Someone doesn't know how to use the search button!

If anyone does search, his name is Jrichker .

if your car did nothing with a jump, i would check your primary electrical connections (battery cables, grounds, starter cable, etc). i have used a spare set of jumper cables as a nice fat cable to test things (like as an extra ground cable, in case one of mine went south, etc).

i dont even like to see 10 volts while cranking - that is not good. good luck.

HISSIN50 said:

If anyone does search, his name is Jrichker .

Click to expand...

I knew that. I was just testing you.

wait, what drops to zero? the stock voltmeter piece of junk will, as will many aftermarket gauges, but a DMM should NOT go to zero. you would lose radio presets, etc if that happened. one should see 9+ volts while cranking (preferably more, but one can generally get a car started if seeing 9 during crank).

i would still be going over the major battery cables myself, as well as the battery itself (parts stores can load test them).

good luck.

if a cell inside the battery failed, it can create issues with jump starting too. and obviously, bad positive or negative battery cables wont allow the juice from the jumper car to help much. bad motor ground can keep the starter from being able to crank.

i would start with the cables but i did want to toss out that the battery is something to remember if all else fails.

good luck.

I didn't read everything, but I saw zero volts while cranking... It's supposed to do that. It cuts voltage to everything but the ignition, fuel, and starter... only things needed to start the car. Gives the starter more power. The stock gauge will dip to zero like that, but it doesn't mean there is no votage coming out of the battery

Have you smacked the starter with a hammer yet???

As requested...

Here's a checklist:

Since some of the tests will bypass the safety interlocks, make sure that the car is in neutral and the parking brake is set. Becoming a pancake isn’t part of the repair process…

Check battery, terminal connections, ground, starter relay switch (also known as solenoid) and starter in that order.

A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103 for help


1.) Will the car start if it is jumped? Then clean battery terminals and check battery.

2.) Check the battery to engine block ground, and the ground behind the engine to the firewall.

3.) Then pull the small push on connector (red wire) off the starter relay (Looks like it is stuck on a screw). Then jump between the screw and the terminal that is connected to the battery. If it starts, the relay is good and your problem is in the rest of the circuit.

4.) Remember to check the ignition switch, neutral safety switch on auto trans and the clutch safety switch on manual trans cars. If they are good, then the relay is bad. See http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80195963.gif for 88-90 year cars .OR see http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80195964.gif for 91-93 year cars. See http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1d/db/3c/0900823d801ddb3c.jsp for 94-95 model cars.

5.) Jump the big terminals on the starter relay next to the battery with a screwdriver - watch out for the sparks! If the engine cranks, the starter and power wiring is good. The starter relay is also known as a starter solenoid.

6.) The starter may be hung, loosen up the bolts that hold it on, and give it a good whack with a big hammer. Tighten up the bolts and try again.

7.) If that doesn't work, use a jumper cable from the positive lead on the battery direct to the starter post where the big wire from the relay connects. If it cranks then, it is the power wire from the relay gone bad. This will be hard to do, since there isn't much room to do it.

8.) Pull the starter and take it to Autozone or Pep Boys and have them test it. Starter fails test, then replace it. If you got this far, the starter is probably bad.