2G Doesn’t crank when I turn the key

[FireyIce01]

So, about 15 years ago, give or take, I rebuilt the top end of my GSX motor and dropped it in a TSI AWD with a much straighter body. Started up just fine, smoked like a diesel rolling coal. Now, I’ve just had it basically sitting since then, and finally started taking parts off it recently to discover a bunch of oil in my intercooler pipes. I went ahead and swapped out the turbo and all those goodies off my OTHER GSX (sold the banged up one to a guy who was wanting to make his GST into a GSX).

So, basically didn’t do anything with the electrical system at all. Well, scratch that, I did have to replace the knock sensor plug, which was cut off for some unknown reason, but everything else hasn’t been touched since it was last started.

Anyway, I drained the gas tank, put 2 gallons of fresh gas in, and tried to start it up, and nothing. Turning the key does nothing, but when I release it there’s a little bit of clicking coming from what sounds like the engine compartment.

Also, when I step on the brakes the dash lights all come on, which I’m hoping is just a shorted light bulb?

So where would y’all suggest that I start looking to troubleshoot this?

 

[dwb]

1g or 2g?
Did you charge the battery?
Check fuses/fusible link?
Check your chassis grounds and terminals on the battery for corrosion?

Random dash lights are often caused by a faulty alternator but normally noticed when the engine is running.

Might be worth opening up the ECU and looking for capacitor leakage/PCB damage.

 

[CanadianTalonTC]

As above, year, make, model, mods etc. Fill out your profile completely if possible.

Have you tried pulling it over by hand?

 

[FireyIce01]

It's the '95 TSI AWD in my signature, 99.9% stock.
Battery is brand new because sitting for 15 years I had taken the old battery for some other thing and never replaced it
I made sure to wire brush the cable terminals really good before I put them on, but I will take another look at the ground situation and then pop open the ECU and see what it looks like.

I've been sitting on an EPROM ECU forever waiting to get it all DSMLink Up, so it may finally be time.

Alright, I looked it over, and at a minimum the ground to the block is solid. The wire going to the firewall leaves something to be desired, but it's not all corroded or anything like that, just frayed. I'll have to see about replacing that but it's going to take me a minute to get to the ECU. I'm working in some cramped space right now - getting this one started and moving was supposed to be how I reclaimed half of my garage

This is where I'm working

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Anyway, this is what it sounds like when I try to start the car; note, this sound is AFTER I release the key, there is no noise when I turn it to the start position.

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[dwb]

I see all kinds of stuff that might move easier than a DSM
I think the sound you are hearing is the ISC.
Might be a good idea to take a look at the starter if you can get to it.

 

[FireyIce01]

Sure; so looking at the starter, it's got the main power cable coming off the battery, and then a little wire on a tab - if I pull the wire off the tab and hit that tab with 12v it should try to crank, yes?

 

[FireyIce01]

Updates:

Starter works fine. Clipped a jumper wire to the solenoid and hit it to the positive on the battery and it cranks right over.

The funky think with the dash lights coming on when I press the brakes was exactly as I suspected, there's gotta be a short in one of the brake light bulbs, as soon as I disconnected the tail light housings that problem went away - no biggie, new bulbs wouldn't hurt anyway.

So I started looking at the ECU. As far as I can tell it's in great shape. Just to be sure, I tried my spare.

Then for shits and giggles, I put the car into neutral. Bam! Starts cranking as soon as I turn the key. At this point it just cranks and cranks and cranks, no start. I don't know if it's fuel or spark yet. When I started working on this back in July, I basically hooked a fuel transfer pump up to the fuel line right there where it connects to the fuel rail and I pumped that thing until it was sucking air. Then I put the line back and put two fresh gallons of good ol' California 91 octane in. So I don't know if there's some fuel priming process that I need to do there... but I digress.

Why won't it crank in Park?

Front and back of both ECUs:

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[FireyIce01]

So the dash lights come on when I press the brake pedal again. I don’t know if I just imagined that they stopped, or maybe couldn’t see it because I was working on it with the hatch open and the sun at my back, but it’s definitely happening tonight.

So, two separate issues, no crank in park, and the dash lights when I apply the brake. Guess I’ll start chasing down the wire diagram and see where the brake wires go and go from there on that.

What should I be looking for about the issue cranking in park though?

 

[luv2rallye]

Depends on whether you have a factory theft alarm and whether it has always been an A/T or not. Wiring is different.