Weird starting problem

[Matts89Notch]

The other day I drove my car home from my gf's house. The car started fine and I drove it home pretty hard. Well I went wot 2-3 times and got home and shut if off. I went inside, changed, and then went back outside. I tried to start it and nothing happened....I could hear the fuel pump go on, and all the other stuff seemed fine but it would not even click. The battery guage said it was below 1/4 charge, but when the car is running it reads fine at like 13V or a little above the halfway mark.....The motor would not turn over or nothing, like there was no power going to the starter? I'm thinking that my clutch needs to be adjusted becaues you have to push it too the floor to shift and somtimes I get ahead of myself and it will grind a little when the car is not warmed up. If I shift before the clutch is pushed to the floor this happens.

Can the clutch stick to the pressure plate if it's way out of adjustment and cause this to happen? If thats the case I would still think that the starter would at least click? I'm lost on this one? Than that night when I got home from work the first thing I did was try and start the car, it was ofcourse all cooled off by then, and it started like nothing was ever wrong?

 

[Strype]

There's a switch on the clutch pedal that has to be pressed in to start the car. Check that. If you aren't getting any power to the starter I'd say it could be a fusible link. Usually when a starter goes out you here a thump. Also try hitting the starter with a hammer or wrench and then try to crank it.

 

[Matts89Notch]

Thanks for the fast reply, I found this thread in the other section and I'm sure he is having the same problem as me...

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?p=6779156&posted=1#post6779156

If my starter was going bad would there not be some more symtomes other than a clucnk? Other than when this happened the starter seems strong and the car always fires right away, it never turns and turns. It always fires on like the first turn over?

 

[Strype]

I've never had one slow down before it died. Just up and poof.

But, I don't think your starter is the case. My bet's on a fusible link, starter solonoid, etc.

 

[Matts89Notch]

Well today it doing it again right now....this sorta sucks because I need to drive it to school tonight and take a test...

I'm working on winning a mini starter, 3g altanator, and a few other things on ebay...

 

[Strype]

Well today it doing it again right now....this sorta sucks because I need to drive it to school tonight and take a test...

I'm working on winning a mini starter, 3g altanator, and a few other things on ebay...

Don't go throwing money at it!!!

Check for spark or use a test light... If you get nothing from the ignition... You know where to start.

Look up Jrichter's No Start sheet in 5.0 Tech

ALSO- I had the SAME symptoms and my friend found the problem in the ignition switch or around that area... Something containg a spring by the lock cylinder fell apart.

 

[DMAN302]

Take the starter to autozone and they will test if free of charge. Like strype says...don't throw money at problems untill you know for sure what the cause actually is.

 

[jrichker]

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. The clamp on with 2 bolts battery terminal ends are a know problem causer.

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 for help troubleshooting voltage drops across grounds.

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.) 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.

4.) 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.

5.) 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 you have wiring problems.
Typical start circuit...
Diagram courtesy of Tmoss &Stang&2birds

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.

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.

 

[Matts89Notch]

Well if you concider $5.50 throwing money at it than I dunno. I will test the stuff soon enough it's just poring out right now.

I plan on getting long tubes and putting a mini starter on at the some time might not be a bad idea especially if i can get a deal on one.

 

[Matts89Notch]

Ok I jumped the starter relay with a screwdriver and it sparked like crazy...i think the relay is fine. now im gonna take off the red wire and jump from that screw to the battery and see what hapens?

 

[Matts89Notch]

It started!!! wahoo ok now to figure out the missing link....I took off the red wire and went from the screw to the battery...the car turned over fine but did not start. I rehooked the wire on and went insided and the car started fine...Shut it down and restarted it again with no problem..

 

[Matts89Notch]

ttt i need some help