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Pathy died and then came back to life.


dirk
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Maybe someone can give me some input on how this happened?

 

I was driving my 1995 pathfinder for a whole day and then parked it at night and tried starting it the next morning (it had to of been -15C at most that night) I turned the key and it wouldn’t start but I was getting a single clicking sound coming from the starter (I also have a brand new starter so I swear it couldn't of been the starter). So I thought maybe it was my battery so I turned on all my electronics in the car, heat, high beams, and wipers. The heat didn't turn on until I tried giving it a boost, but still no go with the boost. So I grabbed a new battery from a different vehicle strapped that in my pathy and surprisingly enough it came to life, so it must have had a dead battery. Well because I like to make sure of things I thought I should put my old battery back in to see if it wouldn't start. so I did that and here's the weird part it did start and I'm running on my old battery right now and it seems that my pathy is working fine, what the hell could it of been?!? :shrug:

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well I got my pathy into a garage and warmed it up, I just want to make sure its the battery not anything else. Because cold shouldn't effect the battery enless its very cold out.

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Yes, to elaborate on Casey, specifically, the ground. The negative that goes to the body (then to the motor on mine). Remove the bolts at the body/motor and make sure things are relatively clean. Hell, sandpaper them for good luck. Many an issue has been misdiagnosed by something so simple...

 

As Casey said, components... This means positive also. It is not common for them to corrode. Trace the wires to their primary connections, thats where issues generally stat.

It can't hurt to check your starter connection. Being under the oil filter, it gets its share of soiling...

 

B

 

I just want to make sure its the battery not anything else. Because cold shouldn't effect the battery enless its very cold out.

 

it had to of been -15C at most that night

 

Err, -15C isn't cold?? I think you need a lesson in perspective!!!

But yeah, that could weaken the battery enough. Does it seem to crank slowly? If not, I'm sticking to connections/conductivity...

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Okay my problem is back, and now I have ruled out the battery. It must of been a coincidence when I put a new battery in there last time and it fired up because I have a new battery in there and now its not starting up and I put my old battery in a different vehicle and it starts. Two months ago I installed a new starter and everything worked fine. Every time I turn the key to start it the starter makes a single clicking sound I checked the connection to the starter and the cables are fine, does this mean that the starter is getting power but its not releasing it through the negative wire? I also have a remote starter installed could this possible be the problem? I don't want to replace my starter again, its winter here and my garage is cold :( :(

Edited by dirk
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Ive worked at several auto parts stores and have found that not often, BUT OCCASIONALLY you find a rebuilt starter thats crap!! Your really gonna have to pull your starter and have it checked to be certain. I really think youve got problems with your connections tho, as the others have stated.

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Check your fusable links.... they come off the positive connection of the battery and have 3 or 4 wires each. I had the same problem with my 92 i just bought, and any time i moved the cable it would come back to life... traced it back to the links... total for both was $29 from the dealership I work for

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Thanx for your reply Teknogaeque and Doughboy. I had to get my pathy towed to a shop and the mechanic didn't look at it for about 2 days so it sat in a warm garage for the 2 days and the mechanic put the key in it and it started up right away and he said he checked all the wiring and said everything was good so I had a 80$ bill for a connection check that I already did and every connection was good :stickwack: I also called the dealership and told him about my problem and he said "bad solenoid on the starter, the cold weather is stopping it from starting" and mentioned nothing about an Inhibitor Relay. Now if its the Inhibitor Relay is it possible that cold weather can effect it? because its been dropping down to -15C lately. And is this the part your speaking of?

 

http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchant2/mer...ode=25230-89981

 

I'll give it a shot and fire a new one in there, hopefully this will fix the problem. I'll also replace the fusible links.

Edited by dirk
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  • 1 year later...
This is what the inhibitor relay looks like. Its located right next to the battery. Have someone tap on it while you try and start it.

 

1192649868.jpg

 

I am have the same starting issues. Is that the same part for a 95 SE Mine doesn't look like that!

 

Dirk in NJ

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