Starter clicks...

[seth98es]

Before I get started, here is the age of my components:

-Starter: Reman from Advanced Auto, 4 months old
-Battery: Optima Yellow top, 5 months old
-Alternator: Reman from AutoZone, 10 months old

Even before my clutch failed my starter would click at least 6-8 times before it woudl finally start. While I was replacing the clutch I had the starter tested at Advanced Auto and they tested it to be fine. I checked my grounds and they are all secure. I do have my battery relocated to the trunk in which the battery is grounded to the body of the car in the trunk.

In the engine bay I think I still have all the factory grounds. I have ont on top of the intake manifold, ground on the trans that goes to the starter, ground is hooked up to the alt, and I think those ground that is bolted to the body of the car where the stock battery location is.

Basically this starter has always sounded different then my last starter. When I first got it, it did not click, just sounded different, hard to explain. But once it starts, the car runs just fine and doesnt cut out. So with that said I dont think it an alt/batt issue, but more of a ground issue or something.

I am going to get my battery tested and maybe my alt if I am not feeling lazy. I will try to clean up my grounds this weekend too. Any other tips?

 

[luv2rallye]

Make sure the starter negative cable goes from under one of the starter mounting bolt heads directly to the car body/frame. If you connect a jumper cable from the tranny to the frame and it now works, you have a negative cable connection problem. Measure the voltage AT the starter positive cable end while cranking - should be at least 11V or you have a positive cable connection problem (or low battery).

 

[seth98es]

I will try that. I think the ground from the starter goes to the front of the car behind the headlight where my stock battery location used to be.

This morning I changed out the starter with a starter I got from the junkyard but it did the exact same thing. I tried jumping the car, hooked up an electric charger, set it to 14v start, but yet again it did the same thing. So with that, can rule out the battery and alt?

How about the ignition switch?

 

[redeclipse7782]

I'm having the same problem, but my car starts if I put the clutch in really fast and then when my foot hits the floor immediately turn the key, let me know if that works for you. I'm going to put a ground kit on my car right now see to see if it helps.

 

[redeclipse7782]

Alright so I changed out the ground from the battery to the firewall and the ground from the battery to the alternator with 4gauge wire. I also replaced the positive and negative terminals with gold ones from autozone. Get the terminals that are made by Tsunami?? There gold, they have 4 holes in the back where the wires go (2 small 2 large), and allen wrench screws that you tighten down on the wire. Cut the starter wire terminal off, strip some of the jacket off of the wire and put it right into one of the large holes. The other wires that connect to the battery will fit in the small holes (2 in each( its a bit of a pain but the will, or if you dont have a system just put them all in the other big hole. After changing the grounds and the terminals, the car starts much easier now.

 

[MikeCordell]

Just a quick thought, have you checked the plug on the clutch pedal that engages the clutch switch? I have seen two of these fail on older DSMs causing the same symptoms. When you depress the clutch the switch goes straight through the hole it leaves.

 

[luv2rallye]

Yes on dsm's at least you can just unplug that clutch switch to eliminate the problems with it.

Note that on dsm's the starter relay when activated actually disables the starter. When the clutch pedal is depressed (or clutch switch unplugged), it disables the starter relay from activating which keeps the starter enabled (through the normally closed contacts of the starter relay). Got all that? I know it's confusing and sounds backwards but hey it's a dsm .

 

[seth98es]

The car used to be an Auto and I never wired up that switch when I swapped to a Manual trans.

I havent had a chance to work on it yet. But this morning it took me at least 10 minutes to start the car. Another note, when I have my key in the ACC position my fuel pump turns on. I have had my fuel pump rewired for at least 3 years now but only have had my Walbro 255 for about a year. So Im not sure if previous to the swap, the fuel pump turned on or not in the ACC position as the stock pump is quite. But the fuel pump turns on, I have waited a few seconds to make sure the voltage stabalizes and it still clicks when I try to start. Also the radio will turn off when I turn the key and when I let go it comes right back on. I think it always has done this though.

 

[seth98es]

Ok so I had time to work on it yesterday. First thing I did was clean up the ground and the battery terminals. Cleaned up both battery terminals, the ground for the battery, starter ground, starter power, grounds in the engine bay that bolt to the body, and had no luck starting the car.

Next, went to the junkyard and picked up an ignition switch. Installed the switch and no change. By then I was tired, hot, and frustrated so I gave up . This morning I went to the junkyard again and picked up a two starter relays(two just in case one was bad). Installed one of the relays, same thing. Clicked about 8-9 times and I gave up. Installed the second relay and clicked a few times then started. So I took that as a positive note, went and took a shower, and then went to work. It started up first try and I made my 20 min trip to work. I parked, shut the car off and waited a few minutes, then started it again and it started right up.

I still dont think its fixed, but so far it is starting up ok. So I guess time will tell. I will update the thread if anything else happens.

 

[seth98es]

For the starter wiring, this is how its wired:

-Power wire on + post
-Wire on a connector, clips onto the top of the starter
-Ground is bolted to the bolt that bolts the starter to the bellhousing

Theres not supposed to be a ground on the - post of the starter is there? This is how I have had it connected for the last year and have had no problems untill a month or so ago.

[Edit]
Just moved my battery to the engine bay. Bolted the ground for the batt up to the stock location and it does the exact same thing. Bolted the ground to another location, same thing. So I am rulling out the battery ground now .

 

[luv2rallye]

For the starter wiring, this is how its wired:

-Power wire on + post
-Wire on a connector, clips onto the top of the starter
-Ground is bolted to the bolt that bolts the starter to the bellhousing

Theres not supposed to be a ground on the - post of the starter is there?

No, there is no negative post on a starter. The casing is what you connect to the battery negative cable under a starter mounting bolt to the bellhousing like you say you have. It MUST go directly to battery negative (not body, frame, or anything else). And the starter + post MUST go directly to battery positive (not anything else). Both these cables must be the huge 4 gauge ones. Have you tryed replacing the + cable? When they get old they get brittle and crack internally.

Since this is so intermittent, have you checked the small wire terminal that clips onto the top of the starter? It may be loose, dirty, partially cracked, etc.

 

[talontsi9095]

No, there is no negative post on a starter. The casing is what you connect to the battery negative cable under a starter mounting bolt to the bellhousing like you say you have. It MUST go directly to battery negative (not body, frame, or anything else). And the starter + post MUST go directly to battery positive (not anything else). Both these cables must be the huge 4 gauge ones. Have you tryed replacing the + cable? When they get old they get brittle and crack internally.

Since this is so intermittent, have you checked the small wire terminal that clips onto the top of the starter? It may be loose, dirty, partially cracked, etc.

Im thinking the same thing i would change out your power cable to make sure that isnt grounding out cause if your lights dim alot when you try to start it it might be grounding out or a bad cable and also like he said check the small wire to make sure it isnt loose.

 

[seth98es]

Hmmm. My power wire for the starter does go directly to the battery but the ground goes to the body. Stock, the ground went to the body then to the battery. Its been like this for a year and havent had any problems so far, but Idk. Im going to try adding a ground to the trans and see if it helps.

[Edit]
Added a set of jumper cables to the trans bolts, then grounded them to the body, but it didnt help. It almost has to be the starter. I am going to have my used starter tested, if it tests fine I will install it again.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

I have the EXACT same issues as you. Sometimes it starts up on the first try, other times it take several clicks before the car starts up. Runs perfectly fine once it does. It's annoying as hell because like yours it's intermittant and not predictable. For a while using my remote start seemed to work on the first try when using my key would just click, but now that no longer works reliably either.

I've heard from several mechanics that this sounds like a typical starter relay problem. That as the starter gets worn, it binds up when you try and start the car, which is why it takes several attempts to finally work right. I'm just going to order a brand new starter and have it installed...I am so sick of this problem and am worried it will worsen until I finally cannot start the car period.

 

[seth98es]

So I had the starter I got at the junkyard tested, it tested out fine. I installed it for the second time and no clicks. The first time I installed it, I guess I didnt tighten the bolts or it was mis aligned or something as it mad a lousy noise when it engaged.

This time I installed it, no clicks at all. I am going to take my other starter back to Advanced Auto since it has a lifetime warranty and make them replace it. Im just glad my car starts with out clicking

 

[seth98es]

Just to update, I finally fixed my issue, and it was totally my fault and there was no way for you guys to know what the issue was. I would give somebody $1000 if they could tell me what the issue was just knowing the above.

Basically the car used to be an auto. When doing the swap, you have to cross two wires on the Park/Neutral switch so you can start the car. In short, the connector for those two wires became loose and I didnt have a good connection there. THat wire goes directly to the starter and tells it that it the signal to start.

Fixed the connection, and no more clicking. Sorry about all the hassle guys, but glad I finally figured it out and I do thank you all for your input

 

[2GeNTSi]

Glad to hear you fixed your problelm. This has been happening to my car for a while now and just recently started getting really really bad. At first it happened once every few months without me even thinking twice about it, but it happens at least a few times a day now. I have replaced the starter before about two years ago with one from Pepboys (forget which brand but the warranty is over).

The problem as everyone else is stating so I don't feel like reiterating, but I'm pretty damn sure it's the starter in my case. I'm going to be picking up my car from the shop on Thurs and I'm going to install a new Duralast starter that I picked up from Autozone that day to see if it gets rid of my "click" problem.