This has been an intermittent problem until yesterday and it became permanent. When I turn the key, nothing happens except the emergency brake light comes on and the temp gauge pins out. No clicks or anything from the starter or under the hood.

It used to do it two or three times then the car would start. I had to use the old screwdriver across the starter trick to get her home. Ideas??
Thanks

 

http://austinthirdgen.org/mkportal/m...ine_wiring.gif

Grab a test light and work your way starting from the ign switch would be my suggestion. Make sure you have good connections and wiring there too.

 

Check Neutral Safety switch as well...

 

My fault, grabbed the wrong link
http://austinthirdgen.org/mkportal/m..._continued.gif

 

If you do the test light (or voltmeter or whatever) test and find that 12V is making it to the S terminal, time for a starter.

I used to always rebuild my starters. Solenoids if they needed it, brushes, drives, bushings, you name it. But once in awhile, a starter would do exactly what you describe. And it was TERMINAL. No amount of "rebuilding" would bring it back.

Used to know somebody that owned a BIG rebuilder of such things. BIG.. Like, AutoZone sized big. (although this was decades ago, before AutoZone was even a gleam in Malone & Hyde's eye) I asked him what made a starter do that he told me there was no way he'd reveal that; if he did, I'd never buy a starter again.

Moral of the story is, don't be surprised if you just have to buy a starter.

 

12v from the key wouldn't get it but jumping the battery stud to the S terminal would kick it over? I'm not being sarcastic in any fashion but wow. That's nuts. I'm sure I've done hundreds of starters and that would throw me for a loop.

 

So you're saying it could still be the starter even though it turns right over when I jump the terminals with a screwdriver?

 

The solenoid is supposed to do electrically what you are doing manually with the screwdriver. If it doesn't do it you either need to replace the solenoid if you can still get them, or the whole starter
if not.

 

the ignition switch should be doing what he's doing with the screw driver, providing power to the S terminal on the solenoid.
edit, unless he's jumping straight from the power cable to the starter motor terminal.

 

That's what I assumed he was doing. Obviously could be wrong there

 

at first I was wondering what you were talking about and then I had a *duh, I'm dumb" moment and added my edit. I'm not sure which terminal OP jumped but I assumed S terminal and here we are.
I would think if he jumped straight to the motor terminal then the gear wouldn't kick out.