pseudo major starting problems

[Guest sllundy]

hi guys,

this is my first post, i'd like to say hello, i just recently purchased a 93pathyxe love it so far, but here's my problem.

 

i've had it for about a month now, and a few weeks after i got it i started to notice some interment starting problems.. at first i could get it started after a few turns of the key. i took her to my local autozone and had them test the electrical system. as i was thinking that the starter was going bad. we hooked it up to the machine and homeboy tells me that it was my alternator.

Well, new alty's been in for about a week now... still having the same problems. So i figured that since the alty was bad that my battery would have also went bad, replaced that and still would not start at all yesterday, so last night i went out and hit the starter a few times and still nothing. I just went outside no less than 10 mintues ago, and she started right up. not once but 6 times... so i'm absolutly confused beyond belief. Should i go have the starter tested at my local shop? i've also read in numerous other post that there could possibly be problem with the starter/inhibotor/clutch relay? i just need to get this fixed.. i'm a student on the tightest of budgets and have already dropped 300$ on fixing this problem. So any suggestions, comments, insight, or easy fixes would be so greatly apperciated.

 

-steven

[Pavelow Leaks]

if you have the means to remove the starter, do that, take it to auto zone and have them bench test it...they can't mess that up. If it's not the starter, which it probably is, it started 6 times...keep takin yer chances maybe it was a fluke.

[Animal]

On a number of occasions my '92 wouldn't engage the starter. Usually it was from the floor mat under the clutch pedal. The switch could also be bad, don't you have an interlock switch?

 

P.S.: The "interlock switch" on the dash, that is. Also, you should be able to tell the deference between the battery/charging or starter/interlock by whether or not there is power to other accessories, such as the dome light.

Edited October 29, 2006 by Animal

[Slick]

check around to make sure everything has a good ground... including the starter. if oyu have a loose wire/ground somewhere it will cause intermittent problems.

as above, if you are using the lock option (have to start truck with clutch.. i use it) then switch it off and see if that makes a difference.

I would point the figner at a bad ground or the starter.

god luck and hello and welcome!

[Guest sllundy]

well, after she started yesterday took it to advance, and had them check the electrical system. Told me the starter was fine, should i have it bench tested as well?

after work, i came out and tried to start it again, and nothing.. the starter would not even engage. all interior lights work fine as i have a brand spanken new batt/alty. i'm really starting to believe that this might be a switch problem..

 

is there anyway to go about checking these various switches(interlock, relay) to narrow this down?

[Animal]

Yeah, I believe you have an interlock switch on dash (lower right by steering column). It is used to override the switch on the clutch pedal. Next time it doesn't start, push it (it is a momentary switch) then turn the key to start. If it starts, the clutch switch may be bad or out of adjustment.

[Slick]

sssh could also be something in the ignition.. sometimes my pathy does that.. but i wiggle my key n varOOOOOm...... she starts no problem.

[Chriskaw440]

I've had a starter on my '90 se start to go bad ...just one day no start, hit with a long screwdriver and hammer a few times.....vroom! starts right up. shut it down....try again, no start...whack it a few more times....vroom! starts right up..... until finally.....hitting it no longer worked so off I went to buy a new starter.

 

problem solved.

 

I've taken starters to autozone or similar places and they test and say "oh its fine" so I put it back on the car and no-start.....starter not good. Off to buy a REAL one at the dealership (this was back in my Mazda RX-7 days when I had three of them)

[Guest sllundy]

went to advance today, bought a starter(just to be prepared), going back to where she's stranded and taking a test light to see if i'm getting power to the solenoid, if not... swaping out the starter, and bench testing it, hoping this is the problem, as i went back yesterday to try her again, and of course nothing.. not even a click, i used to be able to do what you guys are talking about, just keep trying then eventually she will turn. I'll keep posted.. thanks again for all the help.

[Guest sllundy]

so,

i had the new starter installed. The mechanic said that the old starter was fried to the max.

The mechanic said that something in my stock alarm system is causing the car not to start. that it "tripped" somehow and shut off and pretty much shut down my electrical system. He said he was able to jump it from the starter, and told me about wiring up a "push button" starter to it as a temporary fix. Has anyone heard or had this problem before? i'm getting fed up with this truck, and am begining to think its a pile of @!*%.

[88pathoffroad]

Yeah, try unplugging the stock alarm. It's under the driver's seat.

[Guest sllundy]

Yeah, try unplugging the stock alarm. It's under the driver's seat.

tried this today, found the alarm... do i need to unhook all conections? i disconnected the smaller of the two, there was still what appeared to be a larger(about 4in across) connector with lots of colored wires going into it, i could not get this unplugged.

I will try this tomorrow, as i am having a push button start installed(tired of the bs) does anyone know why my alarm is &^%*@$# me over so bad? does it completley shut everything down? i am getting no juice to the starter from the batt. i tried jumping the connecters on the starter(with lots of sparks) and gave up becuase i'm not too experiencd at hot-wiring and don't want to keep &^%*@$# myself, i would like to know excatly whats going on with it. not only to fix it, but as a learing experience. any insight would be fantastic. again my thanks

[88pathoffroad]

The stock alarm splices into the ignition switch wiring inside the steering column cover. I believe all it does is interrupt the ignition switch circuit when the alarm is going off...or when it malfunctions, maybe?