Car wont start.....

nmcgrawj

Advanced Member

Sep 28, 2003

3,651

4

68

Indianapolis, IN

Jul 12, 2007

#1

• Jul 12, 2007

• #1

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?

 

TrueBlue95GT

Member

Sep 29, 2003

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Connecticut

Jul 12, 2007

#2

• Jul 12, 2007

• #2

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.

 

Grn92LX

Fidanza Man!

Founding Member

Jan 14, 2001

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129

New York

Jul 12, 2007

#3

• Jul 12, 2007

• #3

TrueBlue95GT said:

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.

Click to expand...

: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

 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"

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Sep 24, 2002

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Syracuse, NY

Jul 12, 2007

#4

• Jul 12, 2007

• #4

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

 

nmcgrawj

Advanced Member

Sep 28, 2003

3,651

4

68

Indianapolis, IN

Jul 13, 2007

#5

• Jul 13, 2007

• #5

The starter has maybe a thousand or two miles on it. The relay is new. Less than 500 miles. But the starter was taking a lot of heat abuse i think when i was running my downpipe open with the turbo....

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Jul 13, 2007

#6

• Jul 13, 2007

• #6

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.

 

94-302-vert

Active Member

Aug 16, 2004

1,947

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36

NE CT

Jul 13, 2007

#7

• Jul 13, 2007

• #7

Look to make syre both wires are still connected to the starter...

 

nmcgrawj

Advanced Member

Sep 28, 2003

3,651

4

68

Indianapolis, IN

Jul 13, 2007

#8

• Jul 13, 2007

• #8

HISSIN50 said:

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.

Click to expand...

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

 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"

Founding Member

Sep 24, 2002

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Syracuse, NY

Jul 13, 2007

#9

• Jul 13, 2007

• #9

the neutral safety switch thats on the clutch pedal itself

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Jul 13, 2007

#10

• Jul 13, 2007

• #10

nmcgrawj said:

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

Click to expand...

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.

 

nmcgrawj

Advanced Member

Sep 28, 2003

3,651

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68

Indianapolis, IN

Jul 13, 2007

#11

• Jul 13, 2007

• #11

ok thanks guys, i'll check some of this stuff out when i get home. After this i gotta do a clutch install

 

nmcgrawj

Advanced Member

Sep 28, 2003

3,651

4

68

Indianapolis, IN

Jul 17, 2007

#12

• Jul 17, 2007

• #12

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.

 

k00ksta

Member

May 13, 2007

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Chicago

Jul 18, 2007

#13

• Jul 18, 2007

• #13

Yooo

nmcgrawj said:

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.

Click to expand...

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.