[RESOLVED] Car refuses to start, progressivly got worse

[DSM4me44]

I have been having trouble in the past couple days getting my car to start on the first turn over. Today it toeok me several tries and finally it started. It will not start now what so ever.

What has been happening is when I attempt to start it, it doesn't crank. When I stop twisting the key and it rests back on the "on" setting, it clicks (under the hood).

I have replaced my ignition switch 3 times today because that fixed my problem last time.

I have read through the threads but I ended up being confused as to what to check and how to check. Everyone mentions clicking, however I only hear two things that click

1. The injector thing (sorry name slipped my mind) located on the firewall behind the intake manifold

2. Something down by the fender on the drivers side. It says FP and such on it.

A main problem is that I don't have access to jack stands and such as to where I can get to my starting motor to check with that right now. Also, I do not have any electrical tools.

Is there a way to bypass the starter relay to check and see if it will fire?

Also, is there something else in the steering column that could be faulty besides the ignition switch? I checked my fuses and everything seems ok.

 

[k2crasher]

Almost sounds like something with the wiring is loose or disconected. I would do a simple check of all cables on the battery and starter. Also check your grounds. If your ignition has been replaced 3 times then obviously it should be ok. Also could be your starter as well. Start with the simple things and report back.

 

[miniturbo23]

not to try and sound dumb but check your spark plugs, wheni first bought my car 4 weeks back it was acting weird i when it came to starting and staying on right after i started it (when it was cold) then it got worse killing my batery or just not starting at all. I took off the plugs and they were bad like really bad. I bought some njk iriduim and now it starts up fine. just a sugestion that maybe you could check.

 

[eeeewidner]

ok, if you don't want to spend time diagnosing your car the right way then here are some things you can do to bypass just about everything to test any part of the starting system.

1. behind the radio there is your starter relay. take it out and take of the black cover on it. oh in that area there are two relays the other one is for your power windows so operate them and check to see what relay is what. anyways, plug the starter relay back in with the cover off and connect the points on it if your car cranks, then walla its not the starter, nor the wiring from the relay up to the starter...

replace the relay, they are cheaper to replace than ignition switches or anything else that it may be.......

Thats just for starters...

It could also be your safety neutral switch since you have the manual trans conversion....That may be something else to look into....

 

[DSM4me44]

not to try and sound dumb but check your spark plugs, wheni first bought my car 4 weeks back it was acting weird i when it came to starting and staying on right after i started it (when it was cold) then it got worse killing my batery or just not starting at all. I took off the plugs and they were bad like really bad. I bought some njk iriduim and now it starts up fine. just a sugestion that maybe you could check.

Spark plugs and wires and connected and look good.

ok, if you don't want to spend time diagnosing your car the right way then here are some things you can do to bypass just about everything to test any part of the starting system.

1. behind the radio there is your starter relay. take it out and take of the black cover on it. oh in that area there are two relays the other one is for your power windows so operate them and check to see what relay is what. anyways, plug the starter relay back in with the cover off and connect the points on it if your car cranks, then walla its not the starter, nor the wiring from the relay up to the starter...

replace the relay, they are cheaper to replace than ignition switches or anything else that it may be.......

Thats just for starters...

It could also be your safety neutral switch since you have the manual trans conversion....That may be something else to look into....

I connected the points, nothing happened and car didn't crank, bummer.

The neutral switch isn't hooked up. I never hooked it up after the swap.

Almost sounds like something with the wiring is loose or disconected. I would do a simple check of all cables on the battery and starter. Also check your grounds. If your ignition has been replaced 3 times then obviously it should be ok. Also could be your starter as well. Start with the simple things and report back.

I went over everything here, including the wires on the starting motor.

The more i look at this, the more I think it could be the starting motor. It is just weird though because I got worse as the day went on and now it just won't turn over at all. Before it did after like 15 tries.

 

[DSM4me44]

I replaced my starting motor and still the same problem. I know the motor is good because I watched them test it before I bought it.

My security system went bad so I am wondering if it is screwing with my ignition.

Any thoughts on that?

 

[force_feed]

Try to turn the motor over by hand (with a breaker bar of course), to make sure its not locked up or anything.
Might sound stupid, but you never know!

Also check your nuteral safety switch. You converted the car from auto to manual, so how did you adjust the switch for the car to start? I would recommend wiring it to the clutch switch. It may have grounded out or something causing the car not to start also.

 

[DSM4me44]

I ran a 12 volt wire from my battery to the black/yellow wire of my starter relay and it fires up.

Could it be that I am getting bad ignition switches??

 

[kp116]

How did they "Test" the starter? You also could have easily turn the ignition ON and just jumped the battery wire positive thats on the starter to the smaller signal wire on the starter with a jumper wire and it should crank and possibly start right up. I would look at a electrical diagram to see what all is on the starter circuit that is for the ignition. If you had a multimeter you could do a voltage drop test on that circuit .

 

[DSM4me44]

Aight this is the situation.

I disconnected the ignition plug from the ignition switch.

1. I tested that the white wire is getting constant power.

2. I can start the car if I run a wire inbetween the constant(white) and the ignition (white/black). Once I run a wire from the constant(white) to the starter wire(black/red) the car fires up.

This sounds to me like a problem yet again with the ignition switch. I don't see what else it can be since i tested it this way.

 

[DSM4me44]

I took the ignition switch out and turned it with pliars and it fired.

There is a little white plastic piece I believe that moves in where the switch goes, it was missing. I assume this broke.

I swaped my steering wheel assembly and car fires right up!

Thanks to everyone's help.

Special thanks to member "luv2rallye" who for the past few days has been going back and forth with me trying to troubleshoot the problem.