The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support ExtremePSI
Please Support ExtremePSI

2G Weird Starter Issue

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Chicken Patty

15+ Year Contributor
1,446
17
Jun 26, 2007
Miami, Florida
Hello everyone,

I'm now facing a problem that I suppose is my starter but before I go buy a new one I want to get opinions from you guys. here it goes:

You turn the key to start the car and the starter does nothing, no tick, no nothing. The car has power, radio/lights, everything. Turbo timer reads about 12.3v and 11.7v when you actually turn the key to crank, just that it doesn't crank, nothing happens.

I had this issue about two years ago and figured maybe the wiring was lose. I had wiggled around the wiring on the starter and it didn't happen again till a few days ago. It happens just randomly, I already made sure both cables were on right and it didn't seem to help. I just left from grabbing a bite somewhere and the car didn't want to crank. I let it sit there for a few minutes, tried to crank it again and it cranked fine.

What I had been noticing for the past few days before this started to happen is that when I crank the car the voltage on my turbo timer dips to under 10.5v and the car turns over really weak but cranks, then this started happening, car still cranks weak when it does crank though. Any Suggestions?

Battery and Alternator tested fine according to my local Advanced Auto Parts Store, turbo timer reads about 13.4-13.6v while the car is on.
 
Sounds like a starter to me, one trick i've used with something like this is to hit it with a hammer, it sounds funny but it works, for a while anyway.
 
You must be logged in to view this image or video.



is it auto or manual and does it have aftermarket alarm or factory alarm? I can post up the actual wiring diagram. either you have a loose ground or a intermittent loose signal wire that goes to the starter.

here's a wiring diagram for a manual with factory alarm.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sounds like a starter to me, one trick i've used with something like this is to hit it with a hammer, it sounds funny but it works, for a while anyway.

I haven't tried that in this case, but I remember first time I had this issue that didn't work. I had not used a hammer, but it was something solid, don't remember exactly what it was.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.



is it auto or manual and does it have aftermarket alarm or factory alarm? I can post up the actual wiring diagram. either you have a loose ground or a intermittent loose signal wire that goes to the starter.

here's a wiring diagram for a manual with factory alarm.

It's manual and factory alarm. I know the positive cable comes from the battery terminal, but where does the other ground that goes to the starter come from?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sounds like a starter to me, one trick i've used with something like this is to hit it with a hammer, it sounds funny but it works, for a while anyway.

+1 your not looking to damage anything here, just a nice solid whack.
What happens is the contacts flash rust inside and stick. The hammer helps loosen it up and make contact.

Time to replace the starter.
 
possibly the interrupt switch on the clutch going bad?

I have it so I don't need the clutch pressed to start, would that matter?

+1 your not looking to damage anything here, just a nice solid whack.
What happens is the contacts flash rust inside and stick. The hammer helps loosen it up and make contact.

Time to replace the starter.

Everything is closed today, it's gonna have to wait until tomorrow :(
 
The main ground wire is bolted up thru a bell housing bolt. big thick black wire.

So it goes from the bell housing on the tranny to the starter? Have any idea on which side of the bell housing it's on?

So to get this right.

Two wires:

one from positive battery terminal to starter

one from bell housing to the starter

^^^Correct?
 
possibly, depending on how its set up, to be honest thats something that i wouldn't have messed with ### of that "fear" but its something else to check too.
 
possibly, depending on how its set up, to be honest thats something that i wouldn't have messed with ### of that "fear" but its something else to check too.

I will check that out too when I can, it's pouring outside right now :(
 
wow lame it blocked out c u z? ok, anyway thats where i would start, im placing bets on it being the starter takin a dump
 
wow lame it blocked out c u z? ok, anyway thats where i would start, im placing bets on it being the starter takin a dump

I'll go outside in a bit and make sure wiring is all good. Then I'll post back.


One thing that just came to mind, could it be turbo timer related?
 
Three wires are involved.

The large positive cable from the battery to the starter.
The large ground cable from the battery to the bell housing bolt (and via the bell housing to the starter body and bolt securing it to bell housing)
The small wire from the starter relay to the starter solenoid. (This starts at the ignition switch in the diagram above)

Whenever your having starter issues the first test is to make sure the starter solenoid is receiving the 12v signal to activate the starter.
 
i wouldn't think so, seeing as they're on a different circuit, keep in mind tho that if you check it you may lose the funtionality of the turbo timer until you check the circuits,

but then again, you have to dummy out the clutch interrupt so it would work with the timer so it may be timer related, Sorry bout the double post
 
Three wires are involved.

The large positive cable from the battery to the starter.
The large ground cable from the battery to the bell housing bolt (and via the bell housing to the starter body and bolt securing it to bell housing)
The small wire from the starter relay to the starter solenoid. (This starts at the ignition switch in the diagram above)

Whenever your having starter issues the first test is to make sure the starter solenoid is receiving the 12v signal to activate the starter.

Well as far as wiring, all if it seemed ok. I even cleaned the plug on the started solenoid with elec. cleaner. Still same issue. The bolt on the bellhousing/wire/ all of that seems tight and ok. TOmorrow after work I'll see if the starter solenoid is getting the necessary 12v and go from there. I suppose if it is then it's the starter, right?
 
Got it, I'll keep you guys posted tomorrow PM.

Thanks for all the help so far guys, I appreciate it.

Well after much testing and troubleshooting, determined it was the new starter, popped it right in and it cranks fine. :) Thanks for all the help guys.
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top