1G Possible Starter Problem

[Dsmpagan]

I have a problem I'm am trying to figure out. Car wont start it just clicks. Tested to the battery and its ok. Checked all connections they are solid. Pulled out the starter, it was simple because the engine bay in pretty stripped down. I tried to make the starter work with jumpers from the battery and it came to life. Could it still be the starter? What else can i look into. I was going to bring the starter to nappa or another auto parts place to see if they can test it. Thanks for all the help you guys are great.

 

[Bo0sTeD 4G63]

I would say the battery is bad from personal experience. How old is the battery? The starter works with the starter outside of the car but not installed in the car? The battery probably doesn't have enough cranking amps to turn the motor over under load.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Bad ground. Check that the ground goes to the starter hold down bolt on the bellhousing and that its clean and good. Check all battery connections at the starter also. Mine started doing that and it was the brushes but I had a spare starter and it worked great.

 

[joemamma]

do a voltage drop test and use a dvom to check for voltage

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I agree with all tests before removing the starter
Mine came down to that, pull it and try my 100000 spare. The 180000 unit was wore out at the brushes.
Here she sits now , if I can get brushes she will be good again.

Just my experience lately tho so not time to pull his starter yet.
On Chevy's it can even be a brass washer that you polish or just spin (old timer trick) on the solenoid. Just throwin it all out there to ponder.

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[luv2rallye]

If the starter in the car just clicks but doesn't engage, yet off the car it spins with jumper cables, you most likely have a bad cable connection (ie. connection resistance > 0.1 ohms, {50 amps going through 0.1 ohm connection drops 5 volts which won't allow the starter to work}) due to connection being dirty, corrosion, loose. Or you can have bad cables themselves (high resistance, internal crack, corrosion, not flexible) or a weak battery (enough to freely spin but not enough to engage or turn engine).

 

[Mauispyder]

More than one person here with similar trouble have had their battery cables heavily corroded internally or under the insulation. Checking resistance in the cable or voltage drop in the cables is the way to go.

 

[Dsmpagan]

Ok sorry for bringing this old thread back to life but i finally got to work on the car. Life happened and it was freaking cold out this winter. So i cleaned the contact points of the starter with a wire brush and where it connects to the block. I cleaned where the ground plugs in and charge the battery 100%. Still doesn't start. I swapped in another starter and still same issue. Multiple people talked about a ground being bad. Which one if not the one that connects right to the block. There was a ground grounded using one of the bolts for the starter i cleaned that area also. If it is not a starter issue and not a battery issue what else could it be? If this helps at all it was a progressive issue where it was getting harder and harder to start. I originally just thought because it was getting colder and colder outside. Anything to look at next would be helpful before i have to toss in the towel and give it to my buddy raif at RRT he is not a big fan of figuring out electrical issues.

 

[Mauispyder]

Your battery cable(s) may be corroded in the center of the wire where you can’t see or under the insulation. You can measure resistance or voltage drop along the cables path.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Ok maybe a bad cell in the battery, starter possible bad or not kicking out all the way, or something , bad solenoid, ive been here problem was starter issue, Ive never had a starter relay go bad ever, check grounds make sure they are good, at the battery, and chassis.

 

[chrysler kid]

Take the battery to an auto parts store to be tested. Just because it has 12 volts doesn't mean it is a good battery. It needs to be able to put out a strong output in amps to start the car

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Your brushes in the starter motor are wore out since it progressively got worse.
Possible the solenoid contact ring is needing rotated. It's an OG thing.
Hey, also to check for a good ground, just grab jumper cables and run the battery gound to the starter. Its a very easy test to make sure you have a good ground. The same test for the postive side with cables for an easy check. FYI

 

[Dsmpagan]

IT STARTS!! I FIGURED IT OUT!!! it was the clutch switch, stole the one out of my part car that sits in my driveway with no tires and my wife HATES but i put it in and it started right up! That's why i keep that hunk of junk parts car around. I will go buy a brand new switch one and swap it out the right way instead of just plugging it in. Hope this helps someone in the future with the same problem. Thanks guys for all your suggestions.

 

[Dsmpagan]

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Ok the problem continues. After driving it around for two days with the switch just dangling down and tucked away while driving and waiting around for the part for a week I put it in put it all back together and it doesn’t work. Terribley frustrating. I unplugged the new one and plugged back in the old one and it didn’t work. If u click it a bunch of time turn the car key a bunch of times it will just randomly start. You can hear the switch clicking on when you press it in. I’m not sure what the next steps are for tracking down the problem. It doesn’t seem like a loose wire or nothing? Does the connection just go right back to the ecu? Any suggestion on next steps would be helpful. I will add a picture of the part I am talking about just Incase I’m calling it the wrong part. I know the screw top is broken off but it has Been working like this while I drove for those few days.

 

[pauleyman]

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Ok the problem continues. After driving it around for two days with the switch just dangling down and tucked away while driving and waiting around for the part for a week I put it in put it all back together and it doesn’t work. Terribley frustrating. I unplugged the new one and plugged back in the old one and it didn’t work. If u click it a bunch of time turn the car key a bunch of times it will just randomly start. You can hear the switch clicking on when you press it in. I’m not sure what the next steps are for tracking down the problem. It doesn’t seem like a loose wire or nothing? Does the connection just go right back to the ecu? Any suggestion on next steps would be helpful. I will add a picture of the part I am talking about just Incase I’m calling it the wrong part. I know the screw top is broken off but it has Been working like this while I drove for those few days.

Clutch switch isn't even necessary. Unplug it. Just don't leave it in gear as you will have remoed the safety by doing this.