I've been having intermittent problems with my starter acting like it's not there when trying to restart within about 5 minutes after it's shut off, (like after putting gas in or running in the 7-11) but if it sat for another 5-10 minutes, the solenoid would kick in and the starter would turn and start the engine, but now it's not doing anything, even after sitting overnight.

Tried to jump it with a screwdriver and all it did was spark, but if you jumped it to the starter motor itself, it would spin without engaging so I know the starter itself is good.

The solenoid doesn't even click.

Battery is charged and as far as I can tell all the connections are good and I cleaned the terminals. The "no clicking" thing is what has me confused because I've had them go bad before and they at least did that.

The starter has only been on for a couple years and is still under warranty.

No headers on the car.

It's kind of funny... Well not really, but I've been dumping money into this poor car lately. Fuel system, brakes, power steering pump and a few other minor things and the car is running pretty darn good now and was even getting 21mph combined driving, although last check it was only 20, but it's still running better than it has in many years and now this happens.

It's like I'm being punished for letting it sit too long.

Does this sound like one of those hot soak things where it destroyed the solenoid?

If this is a problem, can someone direct me to a low cost heat shield? Unless there are instructions for making your own somewhere. I'll do a search.

Any help/suggestions will be GREATLY appreciated!

 

If you apply 12v directly to the terminal on the starter where the porple wire connects, will it start then? If so, then starter is good. Backtrack from starter following this guide and see if that helps: http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=38

 

All it does is spark when you do that. If you jump it to the actual starter itself bypassing the solenoid, the electric motor spins.

It acts like the solenoid is not even there. No clicking at all.

 

How is your battery voltage? My starter cable that runs to the solenoid from the battery (big 4 gauge wire) was melted by the header and drained my battery.

Also try wiggling the wires that go down to the starter, sometimes a loose terminal on the solenoid or battery will cause this behavior.

 

It is ok. The battery is fairly new and all the lights are bright, but do dim a little when you turn the key to start, but I've experienced diminished batteries before and while the starter would not turn, there was usually a very fast clicking. It's not doing anything.

 

UPDATE:

Something really strange going on. I borrowed my neighbor's battery charger, let it charge for about an hour and it started just as the engine was slowing from the battery dying.

I just put that battery in not too long ago. I don't understand this because the lights were bright.

It's going up on ramps at my uncle's and will check to see if all the wires are snugged up tight because it does this sometimes right after the car was running and turned off, which obviously doesn't point to the battery because it would eventually kick in. At least I wouldn't think.

 

My starting issue was intermittent for 2+ years! It did get worse over time, and I was finally forced to deal with it this summer. I thought I had heat soak since my headers were actually touching my starter. I replaced starter with mini starter, battery, alternator, starter enable relay, neutral safety switch. Still had the issue! Dug up into the dash, found that a PO had rigged some ignition wiring way up in there and had a bad crimped connection - fixed that. Still had issues. Bypassed the starter enable relay also, and so far so good, but it's only been 2 weeks since.

I'm not trying to say anything other than - it could be any number of issues, or combo thereof, and even if one thing is fixed, 2 weeks later there may still be an issue. I've been fighting mine almost 3 months now. So, if it continues after one attempt to fix, just keep at it and keep tracing potential problems according to that starter issue diagnosis I posted above.

Good Luck!

 

Dang it!

Just went out to start it and nothing. The lights are bright though.

 

Sounds like a dead cell. Your battery can have 12V but hardly any cranking amps. Have the battery load tested at a shop, I think auto parts stores can do the test as well.

 

I decided I would do some more checking and double checked the wires on the starter (crawling under the car sucks) and they were tight.

I put two different multimeters on the battery cables and found that the battery is really acting strange. It was at 10.44 volts, but all the lights were still bright. Turned the lights on and it showed a drop to almost 9 volts, but the lights were still bright.

Stuck my friend's battery charger on it, but it's only 6 amps. Let it charge for quite awhile to where it showed over 12 volts and I got a click out of the solenoid!!!

So I let it charge much longer and it got to just over 14 volts and the engine turned over a little and then the solenoid clicked, so it appears to be a battery problem.

Bright lights, but not enough to kick the solenoid?

I'm going to get another battery and see what happens.

I could hear the VATS relay click when I turned the key to the on position and tried it a few times to make sure it was clicking.

So this explains why the dang solenoid wouldn't click even after you jumped the wires.

I have never seen a battery do this before. They always started dying slow and the lights would always be dim, but the strange thing about this is how it did that to me a few times when I was out driving and tried to restart it and then it would work again without recharging.

Can a battery act like this intermittently and then just decide that's it?

 

Anything is possible. Batteries have plates inside - these plates can build up corrosion - sometimes the juice can jump the corrosion, sometimes it can't. Sometimes cells can go dead as mentioned without any problems, then eventually the dead cell will cause an issue.

Defintely have your alternator tested as well. A bad alternator can kill a battery. And new doesn't mean good - I bought an alternator back in 9/2009 and installed. I hadn't run the car much until about May this year - and hadn't done any driving after dark until just last month. I noticed flickering lights, but not all the time. Then I noticed amp guage going into red on occasion - just for a minute or 2. Had alternator tested yesterday, it's making too much juice! This alternator might have had 500 miles on it total - it was bad from factory.

Advance/Autozone/Oreilly's whatever can test the alternator and battery without removing from car now - for FREE!

 

It appears to be the battery. My uncle loaned me a deep cycle marine battery that turns it over rather well.

 

one other ting you could try checking is the ground strap on the block. my buddys gta had the same problem and left us stranded at many of places. after wrapping the starter, re running the power wire. and pulling the thing out and having it tested thats what it was and it was a 15 min fix and it cost us nothing.

 

where is the ground strap on the block located? I thought that our cars engine ground was behind each head?

 

If I am not mistaken, thats what he is talking about.