Startup Hiccups
Guys ,
I just completed a 1k round trip. (101 north and back).
On the way home after stopping at a gas station the car stalled and died. I put it to neutral and it started right back.
I reached home and it did the same trick on me while i was backing into the garage.

2 days later ( i was driving my other stick car). I tried to start it and it just gives a ticking sound and nothing. The SES light, brakes lights, seatbelt light, radio, door open beep, all come on but it wont crank, just a loud click sound.
I looked under the hood for ground connections, battery voltage with my multimeter and saw a slightly cracked wire by the AC evaporator which attaches to some sort of plug. It's a thin wire (beige coloured).
Anyhow after making sure the wire is not completely broken and looking around under the hood for about 10-15 minutes, i try again and it starts right up.

I took it to work and it was around 9 in the evening when i started to leave for home.

Exact same symptons. Car won't start; i lift the hood, fish around the wires, check the battery volts, check ground connections, go back into the car, give it a try and voila it starts...

If it won't start then there is a loud clicking noise from near the transmission area (starter assembly).

I also went under the engine block couple a of months back and found a loose connection under the passenger side of the block. It looks like a connector (but it's literally falling to pieces)barely hanging on to it's original location.
Could this be another source of failing ground...
or could it be the VATS security system....or the transmission neutral safety switch..(i can't get the dang console off)...
or the ignition cylinder..it wiggles though...

 

The starter is next to your transmission and makes a clicking sound.

I have the same trouble on occassion. Just have to try 6 or 7 time and then it starts up and will be fine for a few days or a few weeks. Never did find out what the problem was. I just live with it.

 

Those marginal connections and/or wires at the starter area are highly suspect. They supply primary power to almost the entire electrical system outside of the starter, alternator, an a few other loads.

 

yes that's what i was thinking too..
so yesterday i take hold of the shop manual and deduced that the one of the wires that seems lilke a fusible link is exposed and hanging in there. It might be going to the ECM.
Maybe it this or the connector benath the engine block on the passenger side, which is also hangin in there...
shall i try to seal (with alminum tape)the wiring point below, near the starter motor...

 

The ECM power (along with the fuel pump power) should be sourced from a separate fuse near the battery:

On a Chevy:



-OR Pontiac:



There should actually be at least two fusible links at the starter main power terminal. There is also a connector from those fusible links to the main body harness just above the engine and near the firewall, affectionately known here as the E.S.C. (Extremely Stupid Connector) since it is so prone to failure by design:

 

yes yes it is the fusible link in the last pic.

In mine that's the one that's scrapped off. It has contunity though, but maybe during a current surge or because it's exposed it shorts or something.
It kind of makes sense otherwise if it was only the starter solenoid then the car would'nt die when in motion and start right back again.

 

That connection may have some resistance. Under load, the voltage could drop at that connection. As RB83L69 so aptly phrased it, that connector is "of extremely stupid design". It's basically a ¼" push-on flag connector, incapable of passing the current the circuit may require. It is always a suspect in these cases.

If you already have dmaged insulation (a sign of heating) you likely have some resistance. You would probably be better off replacing the damamged wiring with at least an AWG 8 and larger connector rated at at least 50A.

 

Vader ,
Thanks so much for posting the pics and explaining it clearly.
Last night the car did refuse to start and when it did it was slow to catch.
A getlemen nearby also suggested that because of the scrapped fusible link there might not enough current passing to the solenoid to give enough power to have the starter move the crank, which on a v8 engine it will require full power to move that heavy crankshaft.
I am off to Kragen to get some fusible links...of the rating you have suggested.

If it's not much trouble could anyone suggest a godo way to replae a fusible.
The shop manual suggest to splice and solder the replacement wire , but i was thinking if it's possible to replace the entire fusible wire length with connectors and all...