Car not starting...possible that clutch is causing it??

[a_scobel]

My car has been down for about 6 months...lot of stuff going on that's put off me being able to work on it, so I'm just now getting around to trying to figure this out.

After installing all the mods (Listed in profile), my car started fine. Clutch wouldn't disengage though...so I bled the clutch system like crazy. New slave & master were just put in about 200 miles ago, clutch felt fine after installing them. Anyways, after I bled the clutch, now my car won't start at all. Turn the key & just hear the clicking. When I installed my master cylinder before though, I noticed depending on how I adjusted the rod, my car wouldn't start sometimes. Is that normal? I thought the only thing that would prevent the car from starting (clutch-wise), was the clutch switch, which I jumped & soldered the wires together? So any ideas on what's causing my car not to start?? Checked all the obvious stuff already..battery's fine (red-top optima), starter relay's fine, all fuses are good, battery grounds are fine. Only thing I haven't checked was the starter, which I can't get to for the life of me, underneath or on top. I'm pretty sure it's fine though, & am pretty certain it's a clutch problem, as me bleeding the clutch & now suddenly not starting is a little too coincidental..so any ideas??

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

I'm no 2g expert but I don't see how air in the clutch lines could be causing starting issues. You sure you're soldering job is on par? I'm assuming you meant that you by passed the clutch starting switch.

I'm gonna go ahead and shoot from the hip here...
<b>I think your starter is bad.</b>
That clicking is an old familiar sound of a bad starter. If you jack up the front end you should be able to pull it out from underneath easier than trying to get at it from up top. Its only two bolts (on a 1g anyhow) and a couple electrical connectors. Let AZ test it out for you.

 

[a_scobel]

Hm I'll try the starter as a last resort...before, though, after the master & slave cylinders were replaced, sometimes the car wouldn't start unless I adjusted the rod further into the master cylinder. I also heard the starter clicking when this happened. So that just got me thinking to it being a clutch problem..

Yeah the soldering job is good.

 

[19Eclipse90]

If I remember correctly, a clicking starter means that the starter is working.... The clutch shouldn't keep the car from starting. Check the electrical connections at the starter, make sure the nuts are not backing off making a loose connection or that they haven't already fallen off. Try pushstarting the car. If you can start it like that, then you know your problem lies with the starter.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

a clicking starter means that the starter is working.....

And the logic behind this is? Seriously. I'm not being sarcastic.

 

[ChiGGz]

Not to steal your thread, but I get the same issue, except happens when the car is starting warm. All I hear is click click, but no turning. I too have the clutch bypass and sometimes it turns by stepping on and off on the clutch , which could be purely coincidence.

 

[95talon_in_ma]

Pull the starter. To do this just remove the intake pipe and battery. It's two bolts and takes 15 mins.

Usually the solenoid is fried, but the starter itself is fine when you hear it clicking.
Ford has them mounted remotely but most other manufacturers bundle them with the starter. You might luck out and only have to buy and replace the solenoid.

If it's clicking, juice is definitely getting to the starter, so that will rule out any clutch scenario...
I've seen it just be a bolt loose that holds the wires on making a bad connection...

good luck..

 

[19Eclipse90]

And the logic behind this is? Seriously. I'm not being sarcastic.

Because it is clicking?? My starter, when it failed had trouble turning over the engine. When it finally GAVE OUT, I heard nothing. Another time with the same car, it wouldn't start, but it clicked. Pushstarted it and got it home without any problems. Got up under there and found that the bolt holding the positive connection to it had backed off and wasn't there anymore, so put another back on and it started right up. When my other car didn't want to start, I thought it was the starter, I'd turn the key and I heard clicking. Turned out to be the clutch switch wasn't being depressed. On a buddy's truck, we installed a clutch and put everything back together. I charged the battery so I know the battery wasn't bad. It was having absolutely no problems starting before. But when trying to start, it would still click. Happened to be a corroded connection at the battery terminal. When the starter STOPS clicking, that is when you might think about getting a new starter. It's not logic, it's experience. If it is clicking, don't point your finger at it.

 

[devildogb71]

My Laser sat for 4 months while I did an engine rebuild. After dropping the engine back in and spending gods loads of hours working on her the time came for the first turn of the key..... CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK. Nothing. More hours of looking everything over. For the hell of it I bought a new battery to go along with everything else that was new. Turn the key and magic. It cranked over. Try jumping the vehicle and see what happens.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

Because it is clicking?? It's not logic, it's experience. If it is clicking, don't point your finger at it.

Clicking doesn't automatically equal an ok starter. Read the very first fault.
http://www.powerbase-auto.co.uk/starter_faults.htm

Sorry for the late response, I've had more important things to do.

 

[19Eclipse90]

Clicking doesn't automatically equal an ok starter. Read the very first fault.
http://www.powerbase-auto.co.uk/starter_faults.htm

Sorry for the late response, I've had more important things to do.

I see where you are getting your point. BUT....
A clicking starter means that there is power getting to it, and that it would make an effort to turn if it was getting sufficient power. You are pointing the finger at the solenoid, which as I previously posted may have a bad contact, like your link states. It lacks the necessary voltage because of the solenoid. The starter itself would be okay if the solenoid was able to take in the voltage necessary to have it turn the motor. Because the solenoid has a 'bad contact' or needs to be cleaned, it is not getting the necessary voltage and will only click.

 

[oldman]

Before you start pulling parts, check and double check the conditions of you battery terminals as well as grounding points, sounds like you're not providing enough juice to the starter, have seen this many times before.