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Can MPI Starter relay get stuck? When it ticks no start, when it hums it starts

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And_44

10+ Year Contributor
835
8
Feb 13, 2010
Marysville, Washington
Hello,

Just picked up this car a week ago. It's a 1995 Eagle Talon TSi FWD, automatic, no mods besides a hi-flow cat.

Been searching, and curious. My car will start, once and while. I just had the ECU recapped, and the board is in great condition so know it's not that. This is what happens when it doesn't start, when I put the key to the start position I can hear the Relay (starter, MFI) under the ECU tick. When it just ticks it won't start. If I keep the key in the Start position the Relay will tick, and eventually start humming. When it starts humming, I can release from the start position back into the ON, and it usually starts right after that.

The CEL does light up so ECU is getting power.

What is happening when the relay is humming? Is it a mechanical hum, or just the electricity running through it?

So just curious if anyone had a similar issue?
 
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I have had this problem with poor grounds. The *click* you here is the relay being energized and closing the contacts. Now your *humming* sounds as if the relay isn't making a clean contact allowing the electricity to jump the contacts making an audible noise.

My suggestions is to check all the grounds your can find and make sure they are not covered in rust/making poor contact. Your battery terminals are a great place to start. Make sure they are tight and free of corrosion.

*edit* by "Don't start", do you mean that it cranks and won't fire, or it doesn't crank at all?
 
It doesnt crank at all. Just clicks or hums.

When it does start it starts right away.

"sigh" I hate how the forums are not droid friendly. Round 2 for enterng this update.

Today's first day in a week temperatures have been above freezing, just have wind and rain.

A relay could be sticking below freezing as when I got car it was well above freezing and didnt have issue then, and today it starts right up and its above freezing.

Also the terminals on battery wires are old and loose on the posts. Battery isnt held down either.

Finding lots of little things, the rear o2 sensor was throwing a CEL, thought it was because of hi-flo cat. Nope was because wires were cut then taped back together and most wernt connected at all.

Well, I'll be addressing the battery terminals and pulling relay to clean if possible with some iso. alchol (rubbing) in hopes of curing the cold no/hard starts.
 
i just ran into the same problem today, I have 91 TSI I was trying to get car to start after an engine swap. got the car to start multiple times, but wouldn't hold idle at all and wouldn't stay running unless i gave it gas, thats something i'll get to later. but after starting the car again for the 8th or 9th time it didn't even turn over anymore, just made a click sound whenever i tried. click click click...and that was it...was thinking all kinds of things, battery, ground, bad starter. what do you think?
 
LOL, could be lots of stuff. I fixed my battery, ecu was cleaned up and recapped. But my MFI could be going haven't checked it yet. But could be a wiring issue. Theres alot of coulds when you hear the click.
 
damnit mane....today i swapped ecu's...MPI relay's...starters...fuses...regrounded my grounds...haha. and i almost gave up, but i remembered years back when my car didnt start just like this. i did the ghetto mod on the clutch switch, just held down the button with some tape, anyways it came off and i finally found the problem. so i checked to see if the clutch pedal was hitting the lil button, nope. the hard piece on the pedal had broke off causing the car not to start...damnit mane, oh well took it out altogether so no clutch to start the car anymore's, car running now.:thumb:
 
LoL, gratz.

Update on mine. I haven't worked on in the last few days. It's still up on Jacks awaiting the front wheel bearings to come in mail. Got the inner/outer tie rods just don't feel like taking everything apart to do just rods at the moment.

Fixed the o2 sensor wires. And will probally take out MFI relay Thursday to test it and see about cleaning it.
 
word up...i feel ya on that. need to get back to mines this weekend..maintenance, maintenance..haha
 
Fixed the problem. I sold the car. LoL. Made a few hundred off it sold it to a dealership that needed more cars to fill the lot.
 
Yea, I thought I'd be happy with a 2g turbo, but missed my 1g AWD. The FWD turbo 2g's up here in the NW are a dime a dozen and REALLY cheap.
 
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