when i turn the key all i hear is clicking

[smokeyjpn221]

ok so i was workin on gettin my car to start up and one time when i went and turned the key all i heard was one 'click' i had the battery checked and it was fine so then i took the starter off and had it checked and it was fine. has anyone had this problem? i need the help asap ### i'm tryin to sell my car. thanks for all the help!

 

[DSM1G90]

Down here in South Texas it's humid as hell, so I have to do that every once in a while to all my vehicles...

isn't there some sort of goop you can put on terminals to prevent corrosion?

(Thx for the compliment - been working on too many DENSO starters.. . )

-DSM

 

[smokeyjpn221]

well i just put the new starter solenoid and starter relay on it and the same thing is still happening. i push the clutch turn the key and all that happens is a single 'click' noise any ideas?

 

[DSMReviver]

ok so i was workin on gettin my car to start up and one time when i went and turned the key all i heard was one 'click' i had the battery checked and it was fine so then i took the starter off and had it checked and it was fine. has anyone had this problem? i need the help asap ### i'm tryin to sell my car. thanks for all the help!

have you checked your starter selonoide, mine done the same thing.

 

[96RSproject]

Mine does this to but it was because of the battery terminals. I cleaned them and tightened them down and it stoped.

 

[stevestevesteve]

yup corroded termianls, loose battery terminals, or just get a new battery. i dipped the corroded battery termianls is some backing soda and wallah! took some off then i sanded them down with some 80 grit and tightened then nice and tight on the battery

 

[gsxtasy]

Have you actually got a mult-meter out and checked voltage at the solenoid? How about the starter relay? It is located behind the radio under the dash.

 

[EagleTalon1993]

The click you are hearing is either the solenoid trying to engage the starter or a loose/bad cconnection arcing instead of delivering the amps the starter needs.

I know it's frustratng to keep hearing the same anwswers over and over and still no resolution in sight. Here one thing I can think to check was there a shim in the original starter and did you install one in the new one. It could be possible that the teeth on the starter and the flywheel are misaligned and just striking the flywheel instead of engaging.

Have a buddy try to start the car in nuetral of course and put a ruler or wooden stick of some king directly on the starter when they try to start it you will feel it if the starter tries to engage if nothing it's a bad connection somewhere you'll have to check with a voltmeter from the ignition switch all the way to the starter

Good luck

 

[tonetone]

is there a alarm system on the car? my car would do the same thing plus i had a bad ground but i removed the alarm system and boom it turned over but before that i would just hear a click

 

[steve]

Have you actually got a mult-meter out and checked voltage at the solenoid? How about the starter relay?

It's too much fun swapping parts.

Using the multimeter would have identified the problem pretty quickly.

 

[johnson512n28]

So yea, I've got the exact same issue going on. I've done everything listed here with electrical connections. I hooked up a multimeter to the black wire to the starter, and while grounded on the other end, when turning they key it provided voltage. I have a good 12.4v on the starter power connection. New battery, new terminals, new ground wires.

When having your starter tested at an auto parts shop, if their test passes or whatever, does this mean the solenoid is good as well?

If since I'm getting voltage from the ignition switch to that black yellow striped wire on the solenoid, does that mean my starter relay is functioning correctly?

Would a bad alternator cause this problem?

Keep in mind, in "our" case (I assume), all the other electrical components work fine, and the car can be started and driven normally if pushed and the clutch is popped to start the vehicle. The darn thing just wont crank, and can't be jumped with another vehicle using cables.

 

[steve]

So yea, I've got the exact same issue going on. I've done everything listed here with electrical connections. I hooked up a multimeter to the black wire to the starter, and while grounded on the other end, when turning they key it provided 10.4v. I have a good 12.4v on the starter power connection. New battery, new terminals, new ground wires.

What happens when you apply battery voltage to the solenoid terminal on the starter?

 

[tonyt_harris]

I had this problem too. It turned out to be my starter switch. It came off of the ignition cylinder.

 

[johnson512n28]

What happens when you apply battery voltage to the solenoid terminal on the starter?

I just tried doing this. Since I had suspected this black wire to be corroded, I replaced the snapping connector with a twist one just to test, providing a good place for me to just disconnect it and put a wire directly to the battery's positive terminal. Doing so made some small sparks, but (with the key in turned to ON) the starter motor didn't do anything at all.

I had this problem too. It turned out to be my starter switch. It came off of the ignition cylinder.

If this switch (I assume connected to your steering column or key ignition assembly) were to be bad or not connected properly, wouldn't there be no voltage through to the starter solenoid when you turned the key?

 

[SmalltownDSMer]

I'm having the same prob as we speak. I had the starter removed, rebuilt and installed. New battery put in as well. Sometimes it just clicks, other times she starts.

tonyt- I'm going to look into the starter switch, Thanks.

 

[tonyt_harris]

When my switch was messed up it unscrewed itself from the key cylinder. When you would try to start it sometimes it would buzz or click. if i turned the key off the back on it would start.

 

[johnson512n28]

I feel like such an idiot due to the sheer amount of threads related to these starting problems and not being able to fix it.

I know I'm getting voltage to the solenoid's start wire when the key is turned. I just not noticed, though, that right when I turn the ignition switch to ON, not start, I hear a brief, kind of loud clicking noise DIRECTLY from the starter motor.

YouTube - starter motor problem - 95 dsm gsx

I'm thinking: 1. Bad starter or 2. Bad grounds. Are there any other grounds I should be checking besides the ones from battery to chassis, and battery to tranny/starter housing?

I'm going to uninstall the starter AGAIN, and test the motor externally, even though Autozone passed it the other day...

BTW, thank you very much for your help, steve. I hate to just post in someone else's post, but it just seems to all be a related issue..

 

[johnson512n28]

So I'm not a mechanic, I happen to be a computer technician. So let me tell you, I've got a lot to learn about being a DSM owner. I would've never thought to tap that little motor with a wrench to get it started... Such a cartoon-ish thing to do - and it turned out to be what got my starter motor running again. At least, I learned a lot about my car in the past 4 days.. Many thanks to the 4-5 posts all over the forums that say to hit it with a wrench..

I had directly tested the small black wire to the starter while turning the key to make sure it wasn't a relay or switch. I also went so far as to get a 3" threaded 3/8 hex bolt and put it all the way thru one sideof the starter motor and connected the ground wire directly to the motor's housing with a bolt behind it.

It was such a hassle, I gladly hit that thing with a wrench after it didn't do anything, and up it spun.

By the way, does anyone know why I get this noise (posted in vid. above) that happens right when I turn my key to on. Comes from the starter motor. I should probably have it replaced? Maybe a good cleaning would fix that. I might consider doing this <a href="http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-electrical-wiring/190946-grinding-starts-simple-fix.html"> Quick Fix </a>. I''d like to save $160 on a new starter, any thoughts?

 

[steve]

I just not noticed, though, that right when I turn the ignition switch to ON, not start, I hear a brief, kind of loud clicking noise DIRECTLY from the starter motor.

I can't really tell from the vid but it sounds more like the ISC moving to find it's home position. It's above the starter so it could sound like it's coming from the starter.

Since the ECU doesn't have any real positioning feedback on the ISC/IAC pintle other than the effect on engine RPM it need to make sure that it's at a known starting point with you turn the ECU on. So it steps it all the way out and then back in to make sure it's at it's home position.

 

[johnson512n28]

I see. Sorry for the not-so-good recording, but thanks for the info. So this sound isn't something I should worry about? My car is running fine, atm..

 

[Littlebeeper]

if your jumping the solenoid and still no spin then its the starter. if starter is good then its the engine thats seized (yea thats bad)

But, what usually fails is the neutral safty switch. its up there on the clutch pedal. you can't miss it. when this thing goes bad you will get the same clicks wether you have the clutch in or out.

 

[steve]

So this sound isn't something I should worry about?

I can't tell from that sound clip so I told you what it might be. Get a friend to help by turning on the ignition while you check under the hood to see where it's coming from.

This is a perfect job for a spouse or girlfriend, it's something they can do to help and make them feel involved. (and they really can't mess it up)

 

[subie22]

Well i was thinking about starting my own thread about this, but since you have the same problem theres no point in starting one. I noticed that people are saying to replace/clean the battery terminals and even possibly the wire. Well i just relocated my battery to the trunk so all that wiring is brand new. I checked the starter relay and i didnt see and voltage when i checked it with a multimeter.

But the funny thing is that its a intermittent problem. Sometimes it will start and other times it will just click like op stated. I did wire up ignition switch and right after i did it, it started right up. Reason i wired it was because there was a crappy alarm install. But now it goes back and forth, starts when it wants. But mostly just clicks and no start. Ive been thinking its the relay since i didnt get any voltage out of it when i went to check it. I also jumped the starter from post to post and it would turn. So its not the starter its something from the ignition switch and wiring. I think he has the same exact issue as me.

Sorry im not trying to thread jack, but theres no point and taking valuable dsm space for the same problem.

 

[johnson512n28]

I, also, thought it was my alarm system at first. It had been finicky since I've owned the car, so that was the first thing I tried, after cleaning the terminals and contacts.

I would suggest just hooking up your multimeter to where the harness connects to the starter solenoid wire (little black yellow striped wire in the harness off of the fuse box). If you tried jumping it, its the other side of the connection you spliced into to connect the battery directly to the solenoid.

If, while hooked up to your multimeter grounded on a good bolt or nut on the chassis, this wire gets ~12v EVERY TIME you turn the ignition to START, then your relay is good. Otherwise, should look into things like the clutch safety switch, your actual ignition switch, or the relay, of course.

My alarm, a Viper 350HV, would go off even when I unarmed and opened the door. I found out it was grounded in the same spot as my lighted A/F ratio+boost guage unit. For alarm systems to work right, I read, their ground wire has to be the only grounded device in that location.

You say you "wired the ignition switch," not quite sure what you mean by that, but if you have a "crappy alarm install" splicing wires in and such could lead to such intermittent problems. Personally, I would just disconnect your alarm from your ignition completely just to be sure (not too difficult, two big wires that are tapped into by the alarm - WHITE and BLACK).

 

[2GEEZEY]

Stop wasting your money. Its the terminal cables, there probaly corroded. SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME! It was a 10 dollar fix.