electrical problems (no start)

[lparsons]

I'll start by saying the electrical system in my 95 GT has caused more problems than any ex-girlfriend ever could have hoped to.

That said, this evening my car refused to start. I got in, and the best I could get was a single click. However, the battery was very clearly not dead. Lights worked, power seat worked, stereo worked, etc... I was parked in a surface lot at school and ended up calling AAA. While waiting, we tried jump starting the car just for amusement, and that did nothing.

AAA arrived, and tested the battery. I was not at all surprised to hear that indeed the battery was fine. I tried starting it for the AAA guy, and still just one click. No audible starter sound - just a solenoid type sound but only once per key turn. AAA guy said it likely is my starter, which sounds reasonable, even though I just replaced it a few years ago. I also re-tightened the battery cables to the battery just to make sure everything was good and snug - the tester from AAA tested at the cables, so I'd be inclined to expect the connections were good.

Is there anything else worth checking before I pull the starter? It looks like I'll be taking tomorrow off to deal with this, since I'll have to take the wife's car to be able to buy a starter while my car is sitting and waiting. I figure I'll trace out the cables to the starter and make sure they look OK as well. We have had mouse problems in our garage, and being as they seemed to have chewed on my serpentine belt while we were gone over christmas, I guess it wouldn't surprise me if they did the same to the cables going to the starter.

 

[Highoutput5.0]

sounds like. either the starter has a loose connection on or around the case of it self, or you have a high resistance or open on the circuit that runs directly from the battery in the form of usuall an 8 gauge to 4 gauge red cabe that runs directly to the starter. if the solenoid is working fine like you suspect. if you can bang on the starter (with a hammer and and extention) and get it to spin over your problem is going to be a connection in the starter(which will then need replacement).
If that dosent help you try and move the positive lead going to the starter from the battery around, possibly breaking up some corrosion in the wire. if the starter then turns over from your moving the wire, your problem is most likely in that wire.
if all the other power accessories in your car are working fine the only ground problem issue i can think of would be in the ground straps going from the engine to the chasis. (close visual inspections of everything first lots of times payoff quick)

 

[cbarr300]

ok, for a quick test...take a jumper cable and make an engine to battery ground. If you have a bad ground problem, that should find that.

A starter draws a lot of amperage and if you have a messed up engine to chassis ground somewhere....it can just click.

doing some simple diagnostics will also help. you can get a cheap multimeter from harbor freight for like 3 bux...then you could do check voltage drops across wires and see where/if you're losing voltage at.

Checking for simple things before you drop some coin on a part can go a loonnnng way in saving some money.

g'luck

 

[lparsons]

I forgot to mention that the previous evening (Wednesday), when I went to start my car, I got one click on the first turn of the key, followed by a successful start on the second turn.
Not sure if this is indicative of anything in particular, but I thought I'd mention it.

 

[lparsons]

Enough is enough

I'm tired of electrical problems. I've spent more time dealing with electrical nonsense with this car than I have spent putting gas into it. It's time to wrap this car in a giant SEP field.

First $3000 in the Syracuse area gets it - any takers?