Starter Problems on 89

[CD4616]

Hi All, I need some help figuring this one out. Starting a couple weeks ago my 89 Pathfinder starter only works every once in a while. When it works, it works fine, but when it doesnt work it does nothing, no noise at all. I have pulled the starter off, (that was fun) and bench tested it and it worked fine. Cleaned it up with a power washer and degreaser, dried it out with the air compressor and tested it again and it still worked fine. Hooked it up to the Pathfinder wires and it still worked fine so I put it back in and drove it for another 3 days, working perfect, no problems. Went out the next morning and nothing, no click except for the relay, nothing. I let it sit for 3 days and then went to pull it up to the shop and it started like a charm, drove it up to the shop, killed it and started it 4 times, then on the 5th try got nothing. I have charged the battery and even tried jumping it but still nothing. I'm stumped, should I replace the starter or could it be something else??? Any and all comments on this matter will be appreciated.

[ennacac]

Have a friend with an Xterra that had the same problem, come to find out the times when it would not start he wasn't pushing the clutch down far enough to clear the safety switch.

 

Tom

[CD4616]

Have a friend with an Xterra that had the same problem, come to find out the times when it would not start he wasn't pushing the clutch down far enough to clear the safety switch.

 

Tom

 

Hi Tom, I wish it were that simple, but it's an auto and i have tried shifting into neutral and every other gear, even tried moving the 4-wd shifter into different positions. I'm still stumped??? Starter is 98.00 exchange, fixing to try it unless someong comes up with another possibility. Thanks

[Nissyota88]

mine does the same thing, i just have to wiggle the shifter (automatic) a couple times and it will eventually turn over

[trogdor]

I had the same thing with one of my 88's and i replaced the starter have not had a problem since, I would check all wiring just to be safe, and if it all checks out I would then replace the starter there not to much money.

[jj big shoe]

My 87 had that problem. Ends up it was the contacts in the ignition switch. If you pull the cover off the steering column you'll see a round switch with five (I think) wires behind the ignition lock cylinder. I think its the two top ones that you need to check. One is 12v from the battery and the other carries the voltage to the starter solenoid. The contacts inside the switch were worn out and would only pass 8.5 or 9 volts sometimes, not enough for the starter circuit to do its job. Drove me nuts since I had rebuilt the starter, replaced the wiring, relay, solenoid, etc. and it would still happen intermittently.

[Nissyota88]

My 87 had that problem. Ends up it was the contacts in the ignition switch. If you pull the cover off the steering column you'll see a round switch with five (I think) wires behind the ignition lock cylinder. I think its the two top ones that you need to check. One is 12v from the battery and the other carries the voltage to the starter solenoid. The contacts inside the switch were worn out and would only pass 8.5 or 9 volts sometimes, not enough for the starter circuit to do its job. Drove me nuts since I had rebuilt the starter, replaced the wiring, relay, solenoid, etc. and it would still happen intermittently.

doesnt all the starter need like.. 9.6?

[jj big shoe]

Maybe, I might be wrong on what the voltage was when I was t'shooting the problem. I thought it was 8.5v, maybe it was 4v, I can't recall. What I do remember is it would read "x" and start, then read less than "x" and not turn over. I turned the key like a dozen times and each time it wouldn't start, the voltage was low through that switch.

[number1guitarguy]

Im having this same problem on my 95 pathy. I used to have a 91 GMC sanoma and the starter was going but it made awful noises when it didn't compleatly engage. I'm thinking it is this ignition switch problem, anyone know how in depth it is to fix this problem?

[ennacac]

OK, I looked through my factory repair manual for the 89 pathfinder and it says to look at the inhibitor switch which according to my diagram in the book is located on top of the fuse block (I don't have a auto) to see of the contacts are not clean or if the switch is bad.

 

Tom