"No start" and cuts out....any ideas

[quikv6]

I'd appreciate any help on this.
1. My car won't crank. Volts are good. I have fuel pressure. I turn the key...and the idiot lights go on...but no cranking.
2. Previously...the car has just cut out on me while driving normally. It always started back after a neutral start while rolling.
3. I did the "wiggle test" to no avail...but it was pouring out...so I couldn't get to wiggle near starter. All fuses were intact as well.

Please...any ideas are appreciated. I'm a beginner and my knowlege is limited.
Thanks
Chris

 

[mikestertwo]

1) Neutral safety switch- try holding key in start position while moving shift
lever.
2) Bad starter or solenoid- do you hear the solenoid on the starter engaging
or does nothing happen?
3) Blown fusible link
4) Bad key switch
5) Corroded battery terminals

 

[milesengineer]

i had the same issue with mine, turned out to be the wire at the starter was loose. everything worked but car shut off. i would start there.



hth

 

[quikv6]

Thanks milesengineer and mikester. I'm gonna start at the starter and work down mikesters list. Though would the loose wire from the starter affect it cutting out while driving? And f or the neutral safety switch.....I'm guessing that it works for column shift as well...since thats what I have. ill post any results as soon as the rain stops. Thanks guys

 

[Ron Coleman]

my gut feeling is the fusible links on the starter

 

[Jerryl]

Make sure the + starter cable does not contact the DP which is a common problem.

 

[quikv6]

ok...so if its a fusible link......

Ok.....so lets say its a fusible link. What is the next step. How can i tell if its bad? I know these are stupid questions....but the little I know about turbobuicks was from all the problems ive encountered thus far. A fusible link wasnt one of them...yet. Any more detail would be great. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[turbo39151]

I recently had the identical problem. I checked everything. Even benched the started and it was fine! Turned out to be an INTERMITTENT problem with the starter(it worked twice on the becnh and orked once at hoem and then refused to work again- the solenoid was fine)... I swapped it for a lightweight unit from dbelectric on ebay for $59.00 It works great with no problems...

Don't rule out the starter, even if it seems to work...

Good Luck.

 

[quikv6]

Thanks for the replies guys....I just searched the forum and found ron coleman's thread on the fusible links. Really good thread. Once the rain stops....im goin right for the starter to check it out. Thanks for all the input from eveyone

 

[quikv6]

update....wtf?

Ok....for the hell of it....I said....let me try to start it before I get on my back in the pouring rain to play with the starter. And these cars have a mind of their own. It started right up. Nothing was changed since it wouldn't crank 4 hours ago. And now it starts. Is their any explanation for this? Does this narrow down what my problem might be? These cars are very much like women.

 

[mikestertwo]

When it doesn't start, do your hear the solenoid "click"? The answer to this will narrow it down a little.

 

[quikv6]

When it doesn't crank...I don't hear any click from the starter. I hear nothing. The idiot lights come on as if it were cranking....but no cranking. No click from the starter either.

 

[turbo39151]

Did you read my post? I'll bet it's the starter. An intermittent problem is nearly impossible to track down...

 

[quikv6]

Turbo39151.......yup....I read all the posts. I just didn't think that an intermittent bad starter would cause the car to cut out and die while driving. Sometimes it just shuts off while driving. That's what led me to think a bad wire, fusible link, or ground.

 

[mikestertwo]

Your 2 problems may be unrelated. It does sound like your starter is bad. The next time it won't start, hit the starter with a hammer or a tire iron and see if it starts. Ask me how I know that one, lol !! The stalling problem could be a lot of things, corroded/bad electrical connection somewhere, intermittant sensor, ect.

 

[quikv6]

Thanks everyone.....I'm gonna buy another starter to be safe. Ill post if I find anything unusual. Thanks again
Chris

 

[turbo39151]

do yourself a favor and check out the folks ar dbelectric. They have a store on ebay. They sold me a mini starter that weighted 7 lbs as opposed to the stock monster...It was $59 bux and the customer service was possibly the best I've ever experienced online. Also, the install was WAY easier...


BTW, the hammer trick doesn't always work- ask me how I know

 

[Jerryl]

1) 4) Bad key switch ....

Before you change "stuff" ....... Next time you get a "no crank / start", try wiggling the ignition key.

Edit:
Or ........ wiggle the igition key (on/of) to see if you can create a "no crank / start" condition.

 

[TurboDave]

do yourself a favor and check out the folks ar dbelectric. They have a store on ebay. They sold me a mini starter that weighted 7 lbs as opposed to the stock monster...It was $59 bux and the customer service was possibly the best I've ever experienced online. Also, the install was WAY easier...


BTW, the hammer trick doesn't always work- ask me how I know

Can you provide a link? I can find no such place, any searches done on dbelectric come up "0"

 

[quikv6]

Ill check them out for sure...thanx