motor swap done need help.......

[pnklmnd]

ok so my motor swap went great the motor is back together and everything but im having a few problems...
1. the car wont start
2.there is a plug that is on the harness with starter and i cant find the other end to it...
3.when the car is on the "on" position i hear a noise around the starter.
4.when i turn the key over to start i hear a click at the ecu...not the starter...
i think my problem lies in the starter harness as everything else is together perfect...the swap was a 90 motor into a 91 car...so i had to change almost everything so it would plug in...

thanks in advance...

 

[Lordpaxin]

Are you referings to the little clip that plugs onto the starter soleniod?

 

[GTM]

ok so my motor swap went great
...
1. the car wont start
2.there is a plug that is on the harness with starter and i cant find the other end to it...
3.when the car is on the "on" position i hear a noise around the starter.
4.when i turn the key over to start i hear a click at the ecu...not the starter...
i think my problem lies in the starter harness as everything else is together perfect...the swap was a 90 motor into a 91 car...so i had to change almost everything so it would plug in...
thanks in advance...

Better description... I think you are saying car won't crank which is much different from a no start condition.

The small single harness connector is for the starter solenoid which if not connectd will not engage and the starter will not rotate (crank) the engine and the car won't start.

The various small clicks you hear are for the various relays involved with the start mode which will continue to function even though the solenoid wire is off. The Solenoid is mounted to the starter and has the large battery cable attached. The solenoid terminal is a flat spade lug usually within 1 inch of the battery cable connection. These can get broken off with rough handling in which case you will need to replace the solenoid.

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[pnklmnd]

that wire is hooked up...

where does the first ground on the starter harness hook up?i forgot that ground...

and is there a fuse for the clutch sensor(the sensor that tells when the clutch id depressed? bad switch maybe?now that i think about it when i turn the key over to start the motor it seems like the clutch isnt depressed even tho it is...

edit:there is also a clip that gos into the egr? valve...one of the wires is broken will that affect the car starting?i bypassed all the vaccum lines except the one from the intake manifold to the fpr...so the egr valve isnt even in use.....

thanks again...

 

[realhp=turbo]

I dont know about your EGR question but the ground wire that you are talking about gets bolted to the bell housing with the same bolt that holds the starter in. The EGR thing I would say if you suspect that it might be a problem then try to repair it.
mike

 

[GTM]

that wire is hooked up...

where does the first ground on the starter harness hook up?i forgot that ground...

and is there a fuse for the clutch sensor(the sensor that tells when the clutch id depressed? bad switch maybe?now that i think about it when i turn the key over to start the motor it seems like the clutch isnt depressed even tho it is...

edit:there is also a clip that gos into the egr? valve...one of the wires is broken will that affect the car starting?i bypassed all the vaccum lines except the one from the intake manifold to the fpr...so the egr valve isnt even in use.....

thanks again...

As I recall the ground for the engine and starter is one of the transmission bolts. Usually when you forget this all sorts of nasty things happen like it uses the throttle cable and fuses it to the sheath. There are body grounds that attach to the firewall and subframe but these are also pretty light.

The clutch has a switch which I think is under the dash and next to the pedal height adjust but I could be wrong on that location.

A new diaphram clutch will feel softer than a worn one because the finger elevate as it gets worn and you have to push it further overcenter to actuate.

I don't have a manual thus cannot identify the egr circuit and if that would prevent crank.

You should be able to attach a small #14 wire to the solenoid and then touch to the Pos Battery terminal to make it crank.

Hope someone else can give you more specifics for I didn't answer all of your questions.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[pnklmnd]

the switch is being depressed...i dont know however if it is bad or not...or if they can even go bad...

this swap has given me a few problems as i had to change the steering column...

im gonna see where i can get that ground to reach to...

im gonna see about that wire from the positive to the selonoid and see if it works...there is a possibility i killed my battery but everything works fine as far as power...popups and all the headlight did look dim...i made the mistake of leaving my battery on a concrete floor...(hits self in head)...but i tryed jumping the car aswell...

 

[GTM]

the switch is being depressed...i dont know however if it is bad or not...or if they can even go bad...

this swap has given me a few problems as i had to change the steering column...

im gonna see where i can get that ground to reach to...

im gonna see about that wire from the positive to the selonoid and see if it works...there is a possibility i killed my battery but everything works fine as far as power...popups and all the headlight did look dim...i made the mistake of leaving my battery on a concrete floor...(hits self in head)...but i tryed jumping the car aswell...

If you have a manual you can verify this, I believe the clutch switch will have at least one terminal that is hot, when you depress the clutch it allows current to flow to a relay which then allows the starter to turn. Once you have Alt charging, and / or oil pressure it will not allow the engine to crank thus cannot spoil the flywheel or starter gears.
................

For sure the engine ground should go to a good size bolt on the engine block not the oil pan, not the intake manifold and not the head or valve cover. These may have smaller grounds but the major gound must be as close to the starter as possible.
...............

It is common practice for a mechanic to pull the starter solenoid wire off and short across from the terminal to the Battery cable connect to the terminal when doing a compression check. This way he doesn't have to have the key on just to do the compression test. However with the starter hidden it's not uncommon to use a starter bump swich which connects to the battery Pos and the terminal and then use the remote button. You can make your own from an after-market horn button switch but these can be a PIA getting on when the engine is hot and burning your arms.
.................

By all means have a jumper battery and / or cables if you suspect it's low. Come on now you have done a good job to this point lets not be chasing ghosts when it's only a dead battery and a poor ground... grrrrrrr

Cheers,
GTM

 

[98evoIIIpwr]

I am having a similar problem. I just swapped an evoIII motor into my car. Everything is fine motor bolted in and now I cant get it to turn over. When I hit the key the starter spins and engages but seems as if its not hitting the flywheel. Ive tried the starter off of my motor and off of the evo motor. Neither one works. Ive tried using a starter bump switch and bypass the solonoid and it still didnt work. I am thinking maybe the shroud on the evo motor (that I used) that covers the flywhell is too thick. This is just a guess. Anyone please help. I wanna get this bad boy running and this is all I need. Any recommendations?

 

[GTM]

I am having a similar problem. I just swapped an evoIII motor into my car. Everything is fine motor bolted in and now I cant get it to turn over. When I hit the key the starter spins and engages but seems as if its not hitting the flywheel. Ive tried the starter off of my motor and off of the evo motor. Neither one works. Ive tried using a starter bump switch and bypass the solonoid and it still didnt work. I am thinking maybe the shroud on the evo motor (that I used) that covers the flywhell is too thick. This is just a guess. Anyone please help. I wanna get this bad boy running and this is all I need. Any recommendations?

Oh boy, oh boy. Off the top I cannot tell you for certain what is the problem. The three things that come to mind are that the EVO flywheel ring gear is damaged, is a different diameter (smaller) or at a different distance from the end of the block.

You need to measure from the machined face of the starter to the maximum travel of the starter pinion gear. You will have to pry it forward with a screwdriver and jam some sort of wedge in there to hold it out while taking your measurements. Once you have established this number then measure from the machined face of the bell housing through the starter hole to the starter ring gear. If it doesn't reach then you have a problem. You need to examine the teeth on the ring gear, if several are badly chewed up then you must replace at least the ring gear.

Without discussing why the teeth are chewed up you can use a wrench on the front pulley bolt and rotate the engine a few degrees and then try the starter. You may be able to start this way but if the engine always comes to rest at that bad spot (not uncommon) then only rotating the engine will work until you can get it fixed.

I have other ideas including the starter gears being wrong and yet being able to spin. Long reasoning for this but don't think it applies since you tried 2 starters, so I'm inclined to think the transmission bell housing is different. Possibly changing flywheels will solve the problem but you need to take measurements and we can sort it out if you don't have someone to help.

Let me know if you have more info or find the problem.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[98evoIIIpwr]

I dont know if you call it a shroud or what. The metal protection plate that goes between the trans and the block. i dont think it is too thick but the one I have on is from the evo motor which is awd of course. I dont think the cutout for the starter is letting the starter sit all the way in the hole. I am trying to narrow this down. Damn it

 

[GTM]

I dont know if you call it a shroud or what. The metal protection plate that goes between the trans and the block. i dont think it is too thick but the one I have on is from the evo motor which is awd of course. I dont think the cutout for the starter is letting the starter sit all the way in the hole. I am trying to narrow this down. Damn it

Hmmmm, a "shroud" is a cover and I can't think where there would be one. Realize I am no DSM expert and have only worked on my son's former car. There may be a steel adapter plate which is used so the engine block can be fitted to several different cars. I can't remember if they used one but this could be part of the problem if it caused the transmission to sit at a different position. If this is not a complete circle you might be able to slide the tranny back an inch or so, remove it and swap for what should have been used.

I bought a used tranny for my son's car which came from a non turbo engine, tried to fit it only to find out it was about 1/8" diameter different and would not fit. There was a bit more to it than that. I made a cardboard pattern and punched out all the holes only to find they would not all align, had I taken a die grinder to the starter boss I could have made it fit but still not all holes. You are just going to have to get up close and personal to check all these things.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[GTM]

...
there is a possibility i killed my battery but everything works fine as far as power...popups and all the headlight did look dim...i made the mistake of leaving my battery on a concrete floor...(hits self in head)...but i tryed jumping the car aswell...

Meant to mention, it's an urban legend about leaving a battery on a concrete floor and causing it to die. If the battery is clean and dry it will not die any faster than one sitting on a shelf. If it sat for a month without a trickle charge and was weak or discharged then it wasn't going to get any better and could get sulphated. However this has nothing to do with where it's placed, only how it was stored. It takes days to reverse a sulphated battery, usually they get overcharged, warp the plates and then it's beyond hope and you can speed the warping up by trying to start when it gets this bad.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[98evoIIIpwr]

Sorry i forgot to post when i fixed the issue. Yeah it was the plate between the tranny and the block. I believe its technical name is the Front plate.. It is different betweent the evo III and 2g motor. I swapped it out and the starter engages the flywheel perfectly now. Wish i would of known that earlier but ohh well.