So if I understand you correctly when you turn the key the engine doesnt even crank over? Are you getting a check engine light?

Some basic things to check.

Check battery terminals. Be sure they are tight and not corroded.

Make sure battery is good and fully charged.

Double check all wiring at the starter. Make sure its hooked up correctly and everything is tight. Check for broken wires.

Check wires around alternator and distributor. Check for loose or broken wires.

 

that was one of the first things i checked was the bat terminals and the wires on the starter i have not found any wires that look broken or frayed i am not getting a check light or anything just when i turn the switch to start it does nothing at all and the temp gauge goes all the way to the hot side no click of the starter or anything.

 

can you turn the motor over by hand at the flywheel?

 

i guess what im gettin at is it kinda sounds like you locked it up and was wondering if it would still rotate

 

it was running fine before i cut it off was driving down the road and parked. when it lost power while i was driving it, it only did it for a second and that was it then it was running fine. I cant even hear the new starter try to engage. I had the old starter tested and it was bad.

 

Sounds like you have a dead short in the electrical system.

Check the wiring running from the battery to the starter, and from the starter to the big C100 connector on the drivers side firewall.

I chased a similar issue in my sisters 91 z28, to find one of the wires would intermittently hit the exhaust manifold after a trans swap...... since they didn't bother to use the wiring retainers across the top of the motor....

weird, I know

good luck with it

-jason

 

OK checked and rechecked all the wires going to and from the starter and battery rechecked all the fuses nothing is broken fried cracked or melted still nothing hit the switch to start and i hear the fuel pump prime when i turn the switch to start i get nothing everything dies and the temp gauge goes all the way to hot and the brake light comes on.

 

Heres a quick test you can try that might help you narrow things down. Turn your interior lights on and turn the ignition like you are trying to start the car. If the interior lights do not dim way down that could be a sign that your not getting power to the solenoid. If thats the case I would look at the ignition switch, neutral safety switch (large purple wire connected to small terminal on solenoid), and the wiring between those parts and the solenoid. Now if the lights do dim way down or go out you most likely are getting power to the solenoid but dont have enough power to spin the starter motor. In that case I would look at the battery terminals and battery.

 

So when you try to start the car all the interior lights dim down or go out? If so than just for the sake of elimination might try getting the battery and alternator tested. Could have a dead cell in the battery which could have burned up the alternator trying to charge the battery. Wont cost anything to get the battery and alternator tested except alittle time.

 

check the battery it was good and the alternator to i did pull out the ignition switch and picked up a new one will try that tomorrow it did look like one of the connectors was burnt a little. Will give that a try and see what happens.

 

Just an idea, even though all wiring LOOKS good, does not mean it is. If you have a meter, you can check all ignition wiring. Grounds should read only to a CASE ground (meaning engine block, or any metal. Preferably engine block. You may have lost a ground!!! to verify this, you can attach a wire, (one that does not belong to the car) #10-12 will suffice. Attatch to case of starter, and other end to Battery ground. Try to start the car and see what it does. Also your ignition switch is a (momentary switch) which mean 12 volts only go through when switch is turned fully. ( you will need a person turning key and someone checking for voltage on starter) Should you have 12 volts at the starter, you have dropped a ground. Which means you have to ground the starter. Also with wiring loose from alternator, you can check all your hot and signal to alternator for 12 volts.

 

New ignition switch in still no dice it is acting like the starter is not getting any power at all. does anyone know it there is a relay or something that is in the ignition circuit somewhere?

 

Behind the drivers side kick panel if you pull up the sound deadening material you should find a relay/solenoid that is for the starter. Atleast thats where it is at on my 89.

 

Have you started checking your ground wires at the back of the cylinder heads, and where the ground cable bolts to the block?

Its gotta be something simple....

-jason

 

yeah that's what i was hoping to but all the wires are good as far as i can tell. Going to put in a neutral safety switch today maybe that will work so far i have changed out the ignition switch starter witch was proven to be bad. still cant find a relay for the ignition if the safety switch does not work i guess i will have to try to hunt that down.

 

The starter enable relay is located behind the drivers side kick panel. Mine was located behind some black goo.....

have you ohm'd out your battery cables to make sure they are good? The any corrosion from the battery can wick down the cables, giving you all sorts of problems

and why replace the neutral/safety switch? Are you not getting 12v to the purple ignition wire at the starter? Have you tried jumping the starter with a screw driver?

Just some other random ideas

-jason

 

i found what i think is the ignition relay it was behind the driver side kick panel stuck in some black goo can these be tested with a meter to see if they are bad?

 

I would just jump the two thickest wires and see what it does......

it could still possibly be a vats problem

-jason

 

my son was having the same trouble with his 91, it ended up being the ignition switch, not the key switch but the one one the steering column under the dash, if you haven't done that change it and see what happens youi'll have to drop the steering column to get to it

 

already changed that out along with the neutral safety switch and a new starter.

 

OKso i have pulled all the battery wires off and checked them they are good ignition wires to the starter are good and all the grounds on the car engine, battery, etc. I have no idea what else this could be the battery is good along with the alternator, starter is bran spanking new and it was tested. I still get power with the switch turned on but when i go to start the car nothing happens the temp gauge goes all the way over to hot and that's it no click clank fart or anything.

 

I wonder if you have a damaged fusible link? Since you have power to everything but the starter doesnt work you could have a bad fusible link.

Should be one that connects to the BAT terminal of the starter solenoid.

Should be one that runs to the junction block by the battery.

Should be one in the wire that connects from the alternator to the solenoid.

Should be 2 that are molded splices at the junction block and battery to starter circuit.

To test fusible links you can use a test light or volt meter. Test the wire on both sides of the link no power on one side means the link has burned out.

 

I have added a pic to my album to show what i think is the link from the battery to the starter i checked it on both sides with a ohm meter it is showing 0. Also checked the grounds as well at the battery they are all good to as well as the engine ground from the head to the firewall that is good to. on the connector at the battery (pic in my gallery) the orange wire on the battery wire is cut has been sence i bought the car never had a problem the fuse link that it ruse to is good as well.

 

If i saw the right picture what you are showing is not a fusible link thats just a connector. A fusible link is a smaller round black piece in the middle of a wire. In the pic below the white and red arrow points to a fusible link.

 

ok i believe i know what you are talking about it is the black piece of plastic on the wires going to the starter i think there are 2 of them. do they have fuses in them?

 

OK so now i have tried the fuse-able links the one at the battery on the positive battery cable was bad i am now getting power to the starter. Still will not start.

 

Okay cool at least your making progress. Even though you are getting power to the starter from the battery there are acouple fusible links that come from the main wiring harness and bolt to the starter. Have you tested them? If one of them is bad than you may not be getting power from the ignition switch side.

 

do you think it would be a problem if i just cut out the fuse links on the starter side and put connectors on them being they are not replaceable fuse links.

 

You must know the wire size, that is inline along with the fuseable link. You SHOULD NOT Get a replacement fuseable link rated for more amps than your wire is rated for. #8- #10 is good for about 75 amps MAXIMUM at 12volts. This wire size should be what you have. I would get a link no greater than 50 amps. Should you have inline MAXI fuses, I would also not go over 50 amps. Also note if possible the rating of the fuses you are taking out, and replace them with the fuse of same amperage. I do not profess to be smarter than the design engineer.

Also, if your ignition switch is in the ON position, have you checked for voltage at starter?

 

You must know the wire size, that is inline along with the fuseable link. You SHOULD NOT Get a replacement fuseable link rated for more amps than your wire is rated for. #8- #10 is good for about 75 amps MAXIMUM at 12volts. This wire size should be what you have. I would get a link no greater than 50 amps. Should you have inline MAXI fuses, I would also not go over 50 amps. Also note if possible the rating of the fuses you are taking out, and replace them with the fuse of same amperage. I do not profess to be smarter than the design engineer.

Also, if your ignition switch is in the ON position, have you checked for voltage at starter?

Yes i have checked it at the starter there is power to the starter have tried to cross it over with a screw driver all i got was a few sparks but the meter is saying 12volts at the starter. That's what has me thinking that it is something with the links and they are the factory sealed ones that you cant change the fuse in so the only way the fix them is replace them had the same trouble with the one off the battery going to the starter and now i am getting power to the starter. So logically i would think that it is possible that one of the others is bad to so if i am going to change one might as well do them all at the same time.

 

i still have not been able to track down this electrical demon that i have i am wondering could it be the switch itself (the one you stick the key in)? I have power to the starter cant find any breaks in the wires.

 

Did you find any bad fusible links coming from the main harness to the starter? I know you mentioned replacing them all, did you get that done?

 

I could not find a bad link at the starter it has 3 wires to the hot side of the starter all of those have links in them and then i have the single wire that goes to the ignition. I am wondering if it could be the switch itself being i cant find any brakes in the wires to the ignition and i have power to the starter and i can jump it over with a screw driver. I have replaced everything else the ingnition switch and neutral safety switch. I am going to try to see if there is any power coming from the switch with a meter and turning the switch on i would guess that will tell me if it is that or not.

 

Just for kicks...........run a wire from a case screw or nut on the starter to the negative post on your battery and try to turn it over. If you have +12 volts at the starter, you may have lost a ground, EVEN though you don't see a break in the wire. Also the only way to see if your fusible links are good, is to ring both sides of them out. With your meter on ohm's should tell you what amp your link is by the resistance in the link. If you get no reading on ohm's through your link..........it is OPEN and NO GOOD.

 

Its Alive again!!!!!!!! The ignition switch itself had a short in it.

 

Sweet man. Glad to hear you got it running!!

 

I would like to thank everyone for there input and ideas you all have been extremely helpful. Thank you

 

Wow, that must've been hard to find

I just found a short in my column for the cruise..... kicked my butt for months!

-jason