2g gsx: Click but no start

[Black95_TURBO]

My 95 gsx won't start. It’s never had any problems starting until I got in the other day and all I got when I turned the key was a click. The battery is nearly brand new, all the lights are bright and the radio works. I pulled the starter and hooked it directly to the battery, it's working just fine along with the solenoid. All the wiring appeared to be in good shape and I cleaned off all signs of corrosion. Any thoughts on what this could be.

My car has a manual transmission so is there a fuse for the clutch sensor or maybe some other fuse in the ignition system that I should check?

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PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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clutch safety switch was my problem. If I only knew it was so easy to test.

If you are having similar problems with your car and want to test the clutch safety switch all you have to do it unplug one tiny wire harness. Here is a video that shows exactly what you need to unplug (it's NOT the harness that connects directly to the switch.)

http://dsmtuner.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101587

 

[Nt-Eclipse-Dail]

My car did exactly the same thing one time... It just clicked, and the starter and battery seemed fine.

It ended up being the neutral safety switch for me. Actually it was a little rubber bumper behind the clutch pedal that bumps the plastic button on the neutral safety switch. The bumper had dry rotted and fell out causing the button to not be fully depressed. I made a new bumper piece out of a golf tee I had (free fix) and the problem was solved.

Reach up under the dash and check out your switch. It could either be the switch or that bumper piece.. Just my guess, Hope it works for you!

 

[Black95_TURBO]

no such luck . The switches on the clutch and brake pedals seems to be functioning properly, however are there fuses associated with those switches?

When I turn the key I am getting two clicks: first one from under the dash by the drivers side door, the second from the center council area.

As suggested in other threads I've tried jiggling wires going to the ignition, to no avail. I know a push button start is a possibility but that would just be ignoring the real problem.

Anyone else have ideas?

 

[Gary 420A RS]

i would indeed think it would be the alternator. the battery would eventually die out if it was the alternator though. but it would at least turn on if it was the alternator and battery being brand new.. check the voltage on the battery terminal

 

[punishercb]

One thing I would try if I were you is just disconnect the switch that senses whether the clutch is depressed or not. That way, you know that it's definately something with the starter or battery. Plus, it's just plain cool to be able to start my car without having to push in the clutch.(just MAKE SURE the car isn't in gear!!!)

 

[Black95_TURBO]

Battery is putting out a consistant 12.77 volts. The lights are strong and I even spun the starter directly off the battery, so i don't think that's the problem. I also checked the MPI fuse, which looked good.

What I've found is that if i disconnect the the small power clip wire that goes to the solenoid and replace it with a source directly from the battery the starter spins. If I do this with the key in the ignition and turned to on the car starts. So does this mean my problem is with the clutch position sensor?

 

[Black95_TURBO]

haha... we're thinking on the same page, very cool. I had just finished doing that when you made your post punisher.

 

[ADrewzki]

Have you simply tried resetting the computer? I shorted out something one time and the car wouldn't start afterwards. I took off the ground off the battery for like 10 minutes, put it back on and it worked fine. Hope it's that easy for you.

 

[Black95_TURBO]

the battery was off for a good long while when I removed the starter so it can't be that, I would love it if my problem were that simple.

What's got me confused now is that both of the power sources going to the solenoid lead directly back to the battery without any diversion or interruptions, so when does the ignition even come into play?

 

[ADrewzki]

I think the starter has it's own wires because it draws so much current. When the starter turns, your cam & crank sensors sense rotation and report it to the ECU. The ecu sends an active low to the injectors telling them to pulse and to the transistor pack/coil pack to fire a spark causing you to start your motor. This is how it's been explained to me. Maybe check continuity of the wires that lead down to the starter.

 

[Black95_TURBO]

Yeah, looking at it again I missed a wire that diverges from the bundle that goes between the starter and battery.

Ok, but now that I know my problem is that I'm not getting power from the smaller wire that clips onto the solenoid, am I really any closer to figuring this problem out?

 

[Nanan]

You are not getting power to the relay on the starter and you are hearing the relays in the car click when you are trying to start the car yes?

My guess is either you have a short somewhere from the inside relays to the outside relays or the inside relay is burnt. Relays can still click and sound like they are good even when they are shorted out. Before you do that make sure and double check the fuses both under the dash and in the engine bay as their are a few fuses related to the starter.

 

[Black95_TURBO]

do you recall which fuses i should check? if not, I'll just go one by one. Also, besides the two fuse boxes are there any in-line fuses I should check?

 

[dsm4life]

i had the same problem , still am. I replaced battery , 3 starters ! new grounds , new ign plug. Still have the same problem. From what i hear its when you have too many things hooked up to the car and not enough power gets to the starter relay. I ordered a push button the other day and am going to give that a try. Weill inform you later on if it correct everything.

 

[Black95_TURBO]

The thing is I don't have anything extra drawing power. I can only assume I have a short in a wire somewhere or a relay is blown. My car is drivable but I have to pop the hood to start my car. I would like to find what is causing my problem rather than just finding a way around it.

 

[Defiant]

Try unlocking your driver's door with the key. Unlock it a few times.

 

[Black95_TURBO]

^^^^ Is this some strange, sick, sarcastic joke? non-the-less I am going to try it.

 

[dsm4life]

he just wants to see if you will do it and i am assuming you did


Just go around it if you dont want to trouble of digging through all them wires. I found a high voltage switch on ebay 16.00 bucks shipped, you can go wrong. I wish i did that from the get go cause i paid for new starter / battery / ign switch / grd wire when i could have saved all that and paid 16.00 oh well

 

[Black95_TURBO]

Does anyone have a 2g ingnition wiring diagram? I searched and found one for a 1g, would that be similar enough to use?

 

[dsm4life]

do yourself a favor , install push button and be done with it. Takes 10 mins to do

 

[c5chris]

I had that 3 weeks ago. I noticed that my battery terminals are old and starting to get loose. If I wiggle the negative terminal, the car will start afterwards.

I went out and bought marine-type battery terminals and connected them to my Optima red battery. Car starts everytime since.

 

[Nt-Eclipse-Dail]

I would suggest spending a few more minutes actually checking the neutral safety switch.

Or you could just start throwing parts at it until you give up or run out of money and then go buy a push button start switch... (Just Kidding!)

A used shop manual can be found cheap for this car (amazon.com) and it will also help you actually check parts instead of rigging up a bunch of junk. If you do not have a manual, I would try and get one. It will save you much time in the long run.

 

[RamenPride]

do yourself a favor , install push button and be done with it. Takes 10 mins to do

I'm thinking of doing the same thing. How did you wire yours up? I was hoping to have everything normal (ie. start by turning the key like normal cars), but then have the button somewhere when it won't start. I figured I could just tap into the wire going into the solenoid instead of disconnecting it completely from the rest of the harness.

 

[turboTSi1320]

Do you have spark? Fuel?

 

[Black95_TURBO]

I think I will pick up a manual or the cd dealie, I'm working on my car often enough that it would come in handy and probably help me get things dome twice as quick. It just that I've always had the mentality that the problem I was working to fix would be the last and my car would be golden forever and ever after .

So far I've checked all the quick basic stuff like battery, starter, solonoid, loose wires, and fuses (nothing wrong that relates to the no start problem, but I do have cold AC and ABS again .)

I know I'm getting spark and fuel because with the key in the on position I can start the car with a hot wire going directly from the battery to the solenoid.

Lastly, as stated several times, I would rather work to solve this problem than just ignore it and install a push-button start.

Thanks for all the help, I feel that we're getting close to the solution.