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91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 12:12 AM
  #1  
Jk_Under's Avatar
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

Alright ill start off by whats been going on, for a long time now i would just drive around and go in the store or something and just start up and drive as normal, but every now and then at random my car wouldn't start, everything came on, but when i turn the key, my starter didn't engage. So all i would do is wait 20 mins and try again and it worked every time i did that.

Well yesterday i went out to my drive way to start my car, and it did the same thing, only that was 5pm yesterday... its midnight now. i took the starter off of my car and took it to auto zone where i watched them test it and they said it was fried(i watched it all, it really is bad) so i bought a new one and put it on (i know i did it correctly, i've taken it of many times bofore on mine and my friends camaro.)

well i connected the battery back up and all, and tried again and still nothing

i don't know what to do now, i have no transportation now, and i really don't want to sell it, ive done so much by myself to get it running good, im just sick of it all, i love this car, it's my first car ever. someone please help
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 12:46 AM
  #2  
88 Z-ROC's Avatar
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From: LANCASTER, CA
Car: 88 IROC-Z (L98)
Engine: Edel. Lwr, SLP Rnrs, Ported Plenum
Transmission: 700R, 2800 Stall
Axle/Gears: 3:42 Posi.(4th gen.) UMI R/Susp.
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

I had the same/similar problem.. I accidentally connected the ground on resistance side of the solenoid.. My battery cable was fried as well, due to my headers.
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 09:51 AM
  #3  
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

i never seen a negative cable on my starter, is there supposed to be one? there is a unused bolt ad the back of the starter that i can see, do i need a ground to it?
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 10:00 AM
  #4  
88 Z-ROC's Avatar
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From: LANCASTER, CA
Car: 88 IROC-Z (L98)
Engine: Edel. Lwr, SLP Rnrs, Ported Plenum
Transmission: 700R, 2800 Stall
Axle/Gears: 3:42 Posi.(4th gen.) UMI R/Susp.
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

the larger 1 conects to the + terminal and the smaller wire (from harness) connects to the S terminal on solenoid. Its the 1 closest to the block.. Have u tried to jump start it directly from starter? Also when I first got the car the fuse near the battery was blown.. wouldn't start..
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 10:07 AM
  #5  
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

Is this diagram accurate?
well idk about the injector pump, but this is exactally how my starter is, i have 3 red cables(going to (+)) and a black cable which i think is the switch cable, but ive heard its purple, am i missing a cable? i may need to look around if so.



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Last edited by Jk_Under; Oct 26, 2012 at 10:11 AM.
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 10:13 AM
  #6  
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

'
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 10:14 AM
  #7  
Jk_Under's Avatar
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

Originally Posted by 88 Z-ROC
the larger 1 conects to the + terminal and the smaller wire (from harness) connects to the S terminal on solenoid. Its the 1 closest to the block.. Have u tried to jump start it directly from starter? Also when I first got the car the fuse near the battery was blown.. wouldn't start..
where is the fuse? and when it happened did it not try to do anything? if not did everything still come on?(radio, lights, etc.)?

Last edited by Jk_Under; Oct 26, 2012 at 10:17 AM.
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 10:18 AM
  #8  
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

also if i may add, i don't hear any click when i try to turn the car on, i even put my head by my gas pedal and turned the key, the only click i heard was the turning of the key.
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 11:49 AM
  #9  
fervernt's Avatar
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From: Colorado Springs
Car: 91 firebird Formula 350
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: N/A, working on a t5 swap
Axle/Gears: 3.73 posi
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

Did you have them test the new starter? I've heard stories of people getting starters that are already dead. That's my first thought. Also clean the battery terminals. I know my car wont start sometimes so I clean the battery and retighten everything. Starts right up.
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 12:54 PM
  #10  
88 Z-ROC's Avatar
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From: LANCASTER, CA
Car: 88 IROC-Z (L98)
Engine: Edel. Lwr, SLP Rnrs, Ported Plenum
Transmission: 700R, 2800 Stall
Axle/Gears: 3:42 Posi.(4th gen.) UMI R/Susp.
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!



This is what mine looks like.. purple wire on S.. No click, IMO starter is not engaging. connect a wire directly from + terminal to were ur purple wire is connected.. On mine its the post closest to the block.

As for the fuse. its should be next to the relay near the battery/ water reservoir area.

Last edited by 88 Z-ROC; Oct 26, 2012 at 12:58 PM.
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 01:19 PM
  #11  
Jk_Under's Avatar
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

Originally Posted by 88 Z-ROC


This is what mine looks like.. purple wire on S.. No click, IMO starter is not engaging. connect a wire directly from + terminal to were ur purple wire is connected.. On mine its the post closest to the block.

As for the fuse. its should be next to the relay near the battery/ water reservoir area.
it looks soo much different than mine.. but all i remember seeing is a black wire, i may have to dig around for the purple wire, thanks for the pic man
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Old Oct 27, 2012 | 04:27 PM
  #12  
Jk_Under's Avatar
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

Update: I was able to start the car by jumping off the starter, does this mean its just a relay thats out? because i talked to a guy (hes not a mech. but he knows a lot) and i explained to him that it would do this every now and then and i would just have to wait, but i cant seem to find the starter enable relay, i know its supposedly located to the left of the fuse box, any advice?

well unless i have the wrong wire connected, its black looking, but thats the wire thats always been there(on the S port)
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Old Oct 27, 2012 | 10:14 PM
  #13  
84firebird1996's Avatar
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From: SOUTH TEXAS
Car: 1991 Trans Am GTA
Engine: LT-1
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

I had same problem mine was the shifter neatrual safety switch so i took it off and left it in park position and now it starts no matter what. Just noreverse lights.
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Old Oct 28, 2012 | 12:01 AM
  #14  
Jk_Under's Avatar
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

I ended up just putting a push button switch on my car, drilled a hole in one of the accessory squares to the side of the steering wheel, wired it to the purple wire under the dash, connected to the fuse box, works great. will find the actual roblem when i swap engines lol, thanks for all the advice.
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Old Oct 28, 2012 | 12:05 AM
  #15  
Ardanza's Avatar
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Re: 91 Camaro won't start, in desperate need of advice!

The starter relay should be a little black box looking thing that hangs next to your fuses on the left side, will look something like this:



but look at the right piece in the picture, thats what it should look like on the left
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