No Start!!!

turbo39151

anycoloraslongasitsblack
Joined
Nov 7, 2002
Ok, so I posted a few weeks back with regards to a no start problem.

I turn the key, I get fuel and good fp. Idiot lights light up. I go to crank and nothing. Feels like a dead battery. I assumed it was the factory alarm interfering but I checked the modules as per the factory manual and they seem to be fine. When I attempt to crank the "brake" light comes on- don't remember if it used to come on before. :confused:

Anyway, a friend tested the solenoid on the starter and said it was bad. I installed a brand new one and still nothing...

All my fuses are good. I assume I have a good ground as the fuel pump works. The Battery is a few months old and all the cables are upgraded 2 and 4 gauge with new copper connectors.

What gets me is that the last time I drove it, it was fine, I parked in the garage and touched nothing. When I went to try to take her out again... nothing. :mad:

Anyone have any ideas???
 
neutral saftey switch is a good thing to check as turbotnz06 said.starter wire at switch/column is purple test at back of switch and follow wire as far as you can to firewall checking with key in start posistion to see where voltage stops.look for aftermarket anti theft,ign kill,etc,etc..let me know if you find anything that doesnt look factory.
 
Connect a remote starter wire/switch up to where the purple wire goes on the solenoid, use this remote wire also with a voltmeter to test the purple wire while you are safely away from the starter and from having to be under the car while trying the key switch.

Should get +12 on the purple wire terminal location when key is in start position.

Use a good gauge wire such as 16, 14, or 12 gauge sized, use the key in the run position and try the remote wire to +12 on the battery positive.

It should crank or click if the starter and solenoid are good and wired up right.

A medium sized insulated alliagator clip on the test wire works well make sure it doesn't hit ground at all in the starter area.
 
I'll try the above suggestions. I went out and bought a new Neutral safety switch just in case. Never seen anything like it. Don't even know where it goes. I'll need to consult my manual... I'll post up as soon as I have some results...
 
I took out the starter and replaced the old solenoid and took it to be tested. It was perfect. Nothing wrong with starter or old solenoid. (now I have a new one as a spare)

Then I located the neutral safety switch. Hard to reach/see. From what I can see there is a plug with a black and an orange wire as well as another plug with a blue and a green wire. I didn't see any purple. Maybe it fell off. :confused: or something. Didn't have too much time to mess with it. I'll have more time tomorrow. Any other ideas? Also does anyone have any pics they can post concerning these modules??? The factory manual doesn't really help all that much (as many of you may already know) :mad:

To summarize: Good battery, good ground, power to fuel pump, good starter. No power to starter. Factory alarm module checks out as good. All fuses good. neutral safety switch is still questionable...

Any other input is always welcome.
 
purple wire i was refering to is at ign switch,electrical side(large guage red(s),orange,pink wires there too).check to make sure voltage (equal to battery voltage,should not be any lower than two tenths)is there with key in start posistion.if so,move to starter and start your way up harness checking every few inches to see where voltage stops,this is your starting point.also check at firewall plug on drivers side(hard to get to,but the dielectric grease gets hard over time and hurts continuity as harness passes through)good luck....with electrical probs,take your time,pay attention to the details,look out for past hack jobs.
 
The purple wire is the single small ringed smaller gauge wire on the starter solenoid terminal S.

Time to do some voltmeter testing as posted above start at the starter and work back.

Does the car have the factory alarm system?

The neutral safety switch is a mechanical interlock that doesn't allow starting in gears other than N or P.

If you can move the key freely to the start position you should have voltage going out on the purple wire.

Does the horn work? Does the radio work in the run key position?
 
I'll start checking the voltage from the starter.

I checked the neutral safety switch but can't tell if it's bad or not and I am not sure how exactly it will pull out. (don't want to break it.)

I do have factory alarm and have checked the module and it seems to be working properly.

I just went out to check the horn and the battery now seems to be dead. Kinda wierd seeing that it's new. I have an on/off switch for the battery so that I dn't have to keep taking off the terminals. I'll need to check all of the connections today...


BTW, when I stick the key in the ignition, it is ALWAYS locked and I ALWAYS have to fiddle with it to release so that I can turn the key to acc or on. Could this be part of my problem?
 
turbo39151 said:
I'll start checking the voltage from the starter.

I checked the neutral safety switch but can't tell if it's bad or not and I am not sure how exactly it will pull out. (don't want to break it.)

I do have factory alarm and have checked the module and it seems to be working properly.

I just went out to check the horn and the battery now seems to be dead. Kinda wierd seeing that it's new. I have an on/off switch for the battery so that I dn't have to keep taking off the terminals. I'll need to check all of the connections today...


BTW, when I stick the key in the ignition, it is ALWAYS locked and I ALWAYS have to fiddle with it to release so that I can turn the key to acc or on. Could this be part of my problem?


i think the ign sticking is caused by the mechinical side of ign switch.
 
I suggest when you get the battery fully charged you use the ON/OFF switch when NOT testing the wiring, you need a good battery for all testing.

I also suggest you find the purple single wire at the solenoid and hook up that 16 gauge wire with a clip lead out from under the car near the battery area.

Then you can use it with a voltmeter to check for power while trying to crank the car, and first test would be to touch it on the +12 battery positive terminal to see if the car cranks at all with a good battery.

If the key is in the off position it won't start but should crank, key on it should start and run providing there's no serious other electrical problems causing that draw when the battery is hooked up like you have now needing that inline switch.
 
No start..starter?

I tried to start my gn today to take it to emmisions, but wouldn't start. If I turn the key to on I hear the fuel pump running. When I try to start the car I just get clicking from the starter won't turn over. If I try to keep cranking it I get a little backfire through the exhaust. I tried jump starting the car but with no result. The battery is about a year old.
 
No one has mentioned the 'starter interrupt relay' yet. It's a separate unit that the factory theft deterrent module energizes. Follow the purple/white wire from the ignition switch, and it will lead you to the relay. See if you have voltage where the purple wire hooks up with the key in the "start" position. This is what opens(interrupts) the circuit to your starter solenoid if someone breaks in the car. The purple/white, pink and lt blue wires have to be plugged in for the test to work.;)
 
!

I checked that too.

Actually, I found the problem and posted as such on another post (apparently). It turned out that the Starter was having intermittent problems. I swapped the unit for a lightweight unit from ebay (db ELECTRIC they ROCK- CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS SECOND TO NONE!!). Anyway installed the new unit and it worked perfectly. Only cost about $59 bucks....
 
Sorry to bring an old thread back to life but I'm having similar issues:

  • I have a fully charged brand new battery
  • I am getting 12v on the purple wire when the ignition is in the "start" position
  • All accessory lights, interior dome lights, etc. come on
Is a bad starter my most likely culprit?
 
Can you pull the starter and put a set of jumper cables on it to get it to spin? I don't trust "brand new" batteries. Have it load tested. Try to jump start it before removing the starter and battery with a different vehicle or jump pack. I had a "new" battery that was about 6 mo old that just stopped holding a charge. Got a warranty replacement and all was good. But starters, solenoids and other stuff fails too.
 
If the solenoid is attached firmly and grounded to the starter motor, which should be bolted to the engine for grounding, you should hear a click or clunk when you get +12 volts on the purple wire which needs to be firmly attached also to the starter solenoid.

If you don't hear the solenoid make any noise that would be your problem.
 
If the solenoid is attached firmly and grounded to the starter motor, which should be bolted to the engine for grounding, you should hear a click or clunk when you get +12 volts on the purple wire which needs to be firmly attached also to the starter solenoid.

If you don't hear the solenoid make any noise that would be your problem.

There's literally no sound at all and there's 12v on that wire. I'm suspecting a bad solenoid. Last night I pulled the starter off and plan on getting it tested this week.


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It looks like it's solved. Got the starter tested today and it failed. Ordering a replacement tonight. Thanks for the help!
 
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