This problem has been plaguing me for over a month now. The car sometimes does not start. I don't have VATS (chip disabled) and I have a brand new DieHard running 12.26v at the terminals. Occasionally, the car just WON'T START. I have all of the grounds properly connected to the back of the heads.

When I turn the key to crank, there's no cranking. Just a small click and the dome light dims a tad. The starter is brand new with less than 2500 miles on it. I don't think it's the starter because it's an intermittent problem. I'm really just fed up with it and it's super embarrassing.

About two weeks ago I fried a ground wire, the one that runs from the battery terminal to the passenger-side fender (about a foot long). I replaced it with a piece of 8awg power wire left over from my car audio. That new wire is definitely not fried.

I'm so frustrated with this problem. I have no clue what else to do. And to top it all off, it's fxcking snowing. It's APRIL and there is snow accumulating here in SE Michigan. I seriously just want to get the hell out of here.

 

Did you check all your fusible links , also check the connection on the alternator. I had a similiar problem when I had taken ina lumina to have the lifters redone. Car would drive great for a week then cut out in the middle of driving. My battery was only 6 months old. Guy at checkers said it was bad gave me a new one. Driving a week later same thing cutouts won't restart like the battery drained. So I take the alternator out, soon as I start I see that the engine shop never rehooked up one of the leads running to the alternator. Maybe you have a hot wire grounding out some where. The starter ground might also be loose.

Just some suggestions
I am weekend mechanic .
I can change a diaper quicker than I can a plug


Dynodan

 

haha thanks a lot. I'll give that a try. I havent gotten under the car because it's STILL snowing (4 hours now) and it's accumulating. I THOUGHT IT WAS SPRING! I just had my t-tops off yesterday...

Anyway I'll see what's wrong. I'll test the voltage at the starter. I doubt that it's dead, because it's so new. I have a lifetime warranty on it (but not the reciept ) so I'm not sure. I need a new car

 

I tested the +12v terminals on the starter (ign in ON position, not cranking) for voltage and it's showing nothing. However, I don't see any blown fusable links, so it's confusing. Voltage is 12.30v at the battery, and all accessories work flawlessly. Lights are bright, stereo is loud.

:lala: :lala: :lala: :lala: :lala:

 

sorry to be so damn impatient, but I need help

 

Have you thought about the ignition?

 

what about the ignition?


I tried crossing the two terminals on the starter (to hotwire it?) and all it did was clank against the flexplate. I'm getting power to it, obviously. And there has to be a ground if its making such sparks like that. It's just not giving me a crank.

I don't have VATS, I have a brand new ignition module; what else could it be?

 

My car did the exact same thing to me a few years ago, for the life of me I can't remember how I fixed it or what the problem was. I want to say something in the ignition......

 

I'm going to school, but next weekend I'll be taking apart the console and testing the stupid neutral safety switch again.

 

Here is a schematic for 92 bird:
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d801eef19.jsp

It's in the right bottom corner. Ignition switch first turns the Starter Enable relay on. My guess that's the click you are hearing. Then the voltage is applied through the switch in transmission to the starter itself. There is also fusable link B before the ignition switch.

Seems that fusable link is OK. Otherwise you would not hear any click at all.

That leaves three options:
1. Starter enable relay is bad (erroded contacts which would make it work once in a while).
2. Transmission switch (or clutch start switch for manual) is bad (same simptoms).
3. Loose wire connection between the components.

Use the schematic to locate where the voltage disappears.

 

Thank you, I'll get on that this weekend. I hate being 50 miles from my car

 

Hello Token,

Along those line, check your e-mail.

 

Awesome, thanks a lot. These will come in handy. It's not a very complicated route to determine what's wrong it seems. It goes from the battery to the physical turning of the key ignition, to starter-enable relay, to neutral safety switch, to starter solenoid? I *have* to be getting power at the ignition column because the guages come on, right? So I can pinpoint it to somewhere between the relay and the solenoid...correct?

 

Somewhere between where the yellow wire goes from the ignition switch to the starter enable relay and the starter solenoid. We already know you have power to the igniton switch. We just don't iknow the point at which it is stopping. Disconnect the harness at the starter enable relay and measure the voltage on the yellow wires with the key in the "ON" position and go from there

 

Token, for kicks get under there and re-install the positive wire to the starter. I've seen far too many come just a tad loose and cause all sorts of problems. And make sure the post, terminal end and the nut are clean.

 

yeah I did

 

I don't know where my starter enable relay is, but I hotwired my car with a remote switch... It's kinda ghetto. No, it's real ghetto. I connected a wire to the +12v electrode on the power window, and then that wire goes to the purple wire on the gear selector switch... I have a switch in between and i toggle it a few times and then hold it to start it. Sad? Yes. But hey the car runs... I did notice that those wires got kinda warm (16 or 18 guage), is this bad?

So is this a problem with the starter enable relay?

 

Okay I noticed when driving it, the security light randomly comes on (every ~5 min) for about a second or two then turns off... What the hell could this mean if I have VATS disabled?

 

Hello Token,

I don't know if you got my reply to your PM and the e-mail I sent you. Your starter enable relay is under the driver side kick panel, It has four wires going into it, two yellow and two green. Both yellow wires splice into a single wire that goes to the ignition switch. The dark green wire goes to the P/N switch and the light green switch goes to pin A3 of the VATS control module. The picture I sent you in the e-mail is for a 91 firebird. On your car, it sits a little higher up in the kick panel and forward. Are you getting a code 53 popping up in the computer. If the security light is coming on for two second about every five minutes and you have VATS disabled in the chip. There is something screwy with the chip or the computer.

 

yeah I haven't looked any harder yet, but I don't think I saw any relay there. why do I end up with the weird problems? lol

 

anyone?

 

Look at the ignition switch on the steering column underneath the dash for a yellow wire. Follow it and you will find the starter enable relay.

 

I had the same problem with my '92 RS took forever to pinpoint the problem.

At first I thought it was the kill switch the previous owner had on the ignition. Changed that all out. Still wouldn't start sometimes.

Cleaned battery cables. Still had problem.

Started thinking it was the VATS. So I watched carefully for the next time it wouldn't start. The security light only stayed on for several seconds and went off. Which indicated it wasn't the VATS.

Changed the battery cause it was 3 1/2 years old and I usually do that every three years anyway. Didn't help.

Changed the battery cables. The positive was exteremly corroided when we cut off the protective rubber. Thought for sure that would fix it. It didn't.

Took the starter off, took it to the auto parts store had it put on a tester - came back BAD even though it was turning. Replaced the starter and haven't had the problem since.

It was a major PITA, but now that its fixed I'm all happy with my baby again. Good luck and hope this history helps a bit.