Wont always start just clicks... tried everything

[dsm4life]

Ok i don't know where else to go here guys. What happens SOMETIMES is when i turn the key i get a click sound and thats it, after playing for a little bit sometimes it starts. Sometimes it clicks once sometimes it clicks 30 times before i can start it. I don't know what else to try , this is what i tried:

1) 2 new starters (last one was tested in the store)
2) New battery
3) New ground cables for the battery (batt to firewall and neg terminal to starter)
4) New ign switch

I took to my local guy and he couldn't find out what it was. I am desperate over here

 

[rucr8z2]

Ok i don't know where else to go here guys. What happens SOMETIMES is when i turn the key i get a click sound and thats it, after playing for a little bit sometimes it starts. Sometimes it clicks once sometimes it clicks 30 times before i can start it. I don't know what else to try , this is what i tried:

1) 2 new starts (last one was tested in the store)
2) New battery
3) New ground cables for the battery (batt to firewall and neg terminal to starter)
4) New ign switch

I took to my local guy and he couldn't find out what it was. I am desperate over here

put a starter on it and call it a day. If it clicks and doesn't turn over, just tap it gently with a hammer while someone else tries to start it. Usually this will do the trick

 

[dsm4life]

i tried 2 starts already. First swap just took and put in. 2nd swap had the guy test it before i left .

 

[rucr8z2]

i tried 2 starts already. First swap just took and put in. 2nd swap had the guy test it before i left .

must of read your post to quick and missed that Possible ignition switch?What clicks?The starter solenoid or maybe just a relay? WTF

 

[luv2rallye]

What clicks?The starter solenoid or maybe just a relay?

If it's the starter solenoid, replace the positive cable to the starter (since you replaced everything else). If starter relay, then replace it. Make sure all battery cables are clean and tight on both ends.

 

[jfdid]

Make sure all battery cables are clean and tight on both ends.

Is your hood up or down when it's clicking, check for shorts on the hood/positive cable.
Find out where it's clicking.

 

[dsm4life]

happens when its closed or open

 

[95gstHRCsuper20]

If you have a volt/ohm meter, check all your voltages. You should have a good ground with less than 1 ohm of resistance to the neg post on your battery. Check the voltage at the batt. then check voltage at the starter wire and starter ground. Next check voltage to the starter at the start wire, have someone try to start it for you, you should have more than 12 volts at each pos. If the start voltage is not more than 10 volts or no voltage then the only thing left will be your starter relay which is usually be the ecm under your radio. VJB

 

[dets]

I have the same problem on my Rally Car right now.



Its either the ECU of the MPI Relay located next to the ECU.

I'm going to the junkyard tommorow to pull a different ECU out of desperation. I don't have much other choices right now.


The click you are hearing is the MPI relay clicking on and off. Its doing the same to me right now.


If I fix it tommorow, i'll update.

Good luck.

 

[CYrUs0k5]

Borrow someones ecu and check it... im willing to bet its the ecu.

 

[dsm4life]

please update me on it and let me know. I guess i can repalce the MPI relay and try that. Its hard to clear up cause i try something and it might work for like 2 weeks straight but then after that does it again , i am so

 

[dsm4life]

k guys well i tried just about everything , was thinking of putting in a push button start to bypass all the other relays etc so i know its getting all the pwr it needs. Anyone know a good write on on it ? (searching down, just very disappointed)

 

[hovis4cyl]

Put the car in neutral and turn the ignition onto the on position. Jump the posts on the selenoid. If your car fires up then you know it's the selenoid. A selenoid will click when it goes bad. I have seen this often.

(MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!)

 

[luv2rallye]

If you have a volt/ohm meter, check all your voltages. You should have a good ground with less than 1 ohm of resistance to the neg post on your battery. Check the voltage at the batt. then check voltage at the starter wire and starter ground. Next check voltage to the starter at the start wire, have someone try to start it for you, you should have more than 12 volts at each pos. If the start voltage is not more than 10 volts or no voltage then the only thing left will be your starter relay which is usually be the ecm under your radio. VJB

This (above) is good. What happened when you did all this? If you've replaced everything, then you must have a partially broken wire/connection somewhere. You can, for testing, just connect a good wire to both ends of each suspected wire one at a time. If it then works, you've found the problem wire. Of course you should use a jumper cable to go across the big battery cables that go to starter's positive and ground (or your smaller wire will melt if thats the problem wire). Here is another link that should help: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58082

 

[BlandAnalogy]

the 1st thing i would have done is to check the entire starting ciruit. i like 95gstHRCsuper20's aproach at this 1. yet im not sure i agree with that much resistance in a ground. seems a little high to be upto 1 ohm. none the less it's an easy thing to keep in mind and remember. now if you check the connections and everything seems ok, well you might wanna keep these steps for future refrence. your starter is obviously getting power right? ok well as for checking a starter, in order to rnr it you's have to pull it out, check the armature, plunger, over running clutch, the pinion gear, and the ring gear out of the starter. it sounds a little crazy but these are things that save alot of money. if you need it i'll pull up a schematic on the electrical system that you're workin on.

 

[BUCK]

Clutch Safety Switch.

 

[dsm4life]

Honestly i am so disgusted with this i don't even want to try anything else. I got so tired with it i TRIED to pay someone else to do it and they couldn't even find the problem

 

[BUCK]

It takes about 5 minutes to jump out the Clutch Safety Switch with a wire.

 

[huafist]

It takes about 5 minutes to jump out the Clutch Safety Switch with a wire.

If it's the CSS, it wouldn't click at all. I doubt seriously this is the problem, although it won't hurt him to look. The quickest way to tell is to take the wire off the solenoid and attach it to the + post of a voltmeter and ground the - post to the batt. Have a buddy try to start the car. If you get voltage, the CSS isn't the problem.

Like one of the guys above said, put the car in neutral and try to jump the solenoid to the power wire. That'll tell you if the problem lies in the solenoid or not. I'd tear all the wiring out and clean the hell out of all the contacts.

 

[dsm4life]

its not the clutch switch tried that adn your right it would click if that was it. Where is the starter solenoid located and a pic would help. I am going to try that next , waiting to get car back (in paint shop )

 

[huafist]

its not the clutch switch tried that adn your right it would click if that was it. Where is the starter solenoid located and a pic would help. I am going to try that next , waiting to get car back (in paint shop )

The starter solenoid is on top of the starter, it's a cylinder attached to it. The wire that attaches to the solenoid is a pin type, the wire just slides over a pin header on the solenoid. This wire is directly above the hot wire running to the starter motor.

 

[steve]

If it's the CSS, it wouldn't click at all.

Try hitting the starter with the clutch not pushed in. I just did to make sure.
It clicks once and then nothing. The switches are known to go bad.
The quickest way to tell if that's the problem is to unplug the connector. If the problem goes away then the CSS is bad.

Steve

 

[dsm4life]

i dont even have my clutch hooked up. I dont think that toggle has anything to do with it. If it did the car would do nothing. If the starter solenoid is connected to the starter meaning you get a new one with a new starter , correct ? Then since i replaced the starter twice and had it tested before i left store that would knock that off the list right ?

 

[huafist]

Try hitting the starter with the clutch not pushed in. I just did to make sure.
It clicks once and then nothing. The switches are known to go bad.
The quickest way to tell if that's the problem is to unplug the connector. If the problem goes away then the CSS is bad.

Steve

You're saying the solenoid clicked without the clutch depressed? I thought the whole point was to not provide power to the solenoid if the circuit wasn't closed?

 

[dsm4life]

the clutch is disabled i dont push the clutch to start car, dont have to. I also tried with it hooked up , no luck.