The 240 decided that it randomly didn’t want to start the other day.
I didn’t think that it was the starter because the interior lights weren’t draining as per the usual bad starter drain issue, and the solenoid can be heard clicking even from inside the car.
I pulled the starter and replaced it anyway, since I had a spare, and you guessed it, no luck.
Here’s the deal.
I turn the key and hear the solenoid click, but no turning over.
When it originally happened, it turned over about half a turn, then stopped.
Yesterday morning it just turned a fraction of a turn, enough to hear it, then stopped.
I tried directly jumping a positive terminal of another car to the starter main wire, and it started up.
So, I’m wondering what I have to bypass to get the car running.
I’m reasonably certain that nothing is unplugged that shouldn’t be, but since the car has been through an auto/5 speed conversion and an ECU/AEM conversion, there are plugs hanging all over the place and others not having anything plugged into them.
I know that the “clutch interface switch” (I think) behind the passenger side headlight likes to break, and the switch on the clutch pedal assembly isn’t plugged in, so that’s not the issue.
What do you guys think I need to bypass, that clutch interface switch?
Can I wire into the secondary starter wire and bypass whatever is broken, or do I need to wire into the larger primary? I would think it’s a secondary issue?
Assumming your battery is ok…and the starter is “clicking” when turning over, I would try directly grounding the starter. Hook up the negative on the battery with jumper cables and clamp the other side to the starter or the bell housing nearest to the starter then try again!
You said you directly jumped the starter and it starts but on your car or another? Could be something seized like an Alternator,A/C compressor or even the engine? These are worst case scenarios though!
Good luck! Say hi to Paul Abbott for me when you see him…Trung from SPDA
Well bump-starting the car is fine, and it turned over and started when “directly hooked” to the other car, so nothing is seized.
Here was the “direct jump” setup.
Positive from another car’s battery to the positive on the starter
Negative from the other car’s battery to the IM
I also tried starting it by jumping my battery to another car’s battery (like any time a battery is dead), and nothing.
That’s why I think it’s some switch not closing to allow power to the starter.
The solenoid clicks, but the starter doesn’t even attempt to turn.
The lights don’t drain, and I used 2 starters, so the starter is good.
I guess I could try some grounding wires to help the ground in the future, but I know that’s not the problem I’m having right now.
check your signal wire it should be somthing to do with that , the starter is directly connected to the battery the signal wire allows it to ground out.
it should be one thin wire coming out of the starter
Yeah sorry, that’s what I was getting at. How many volts are on that secondary, or is it just a ground?
If I were to push button to bypass that, would I ground or give a 5 volt signal.
I guess it grounds, and activates the primary 12V circut, so my switch could be like a 16 gauge ground.
Alright after some troubleshooting, here’s where I am.
Replaced Starter (Spare SR20 Starter)
Replaced Battery (Spare Optima Red Top)
Grounded the negative battery terminal with another ground wire.
Engine bay is full of extra grounds.
I tried using a jumper cable to ground one of the starter bolts to the intake manifold.
When the starter signal wire is NOT plugged in, there’s nothing.
When the starter signal wire is GROUNDED, there’s nothing.
When the starter signal wire is PLUGGED IN, I hear the solenoid click, but no start, AND the lights & such don’t drain like a bad starter
When the main starter wire is jumped from the positive terminal of another car and the other car’s negative terminal is jumped to my car’s intake manifold, it starts.
SO:
The signal wire works to activate the solenoid, but it doesn’t activate the starter.
I don’t think it’s the “clutch interface switch”, because the solenoid is working, therefore the switch isn’t cutting the signal.
Could this be the relay that is causing me problems?
I found the problem.
I hope I don’t offend anyone on here, but the wiring in this car is an absolute disaster.
I’ve found everything from bits of tissues holding switches in to loose stripped wires making awesome spark shows in the engine bay.
This one was a wire running from the relay box, just stripped about 1/4 inch and twisted into another wire, which had come loose.
The car starts now again, and I have the soldering iron heating up again…
