No start issue...please help
 

guys and gals,

85 wont start. turn key and nothing. do not hear solenoid being actuated.

this is an intermittent problem, and now ive got it not starting so i want to troubleshoot completely. batt and alt new and in good working order.

The starter will not turn when jumping terminal positions 1 and 3 together on passenger side near battery, but there is clearly current flowing due to sparking on screwdrivers.

Does this point directly to the solenoid?

thanks,
dd

Yes, time for a new starter according to what you posted. You could try changing just the solenoid but you have to pull the starter to do so and you won't want to do that more than you need to.

My starter is a 1 year old Bosch reman. :mad:

Could someone double confirm my troubleshooting before I go pulling the starter?

Do you have a multimeter to make some measurements?

Have you tried whunter's remote starter switch trick yet to rule out the trans safety switch?

Have multimeter, will measure.

Have not tried whunter switch (do you have a link for that?). I thought that by virtue of the key being in the 'run' position, you could jump the wires on the terminal block, bypassing the NSS and the ignition switch.

Starter Test
 

I would use a pipe and bang directly on the starter while some one holds the key in the start position. If your banging gets the starter to turn. Replace starter as it is your solenoid. This will also work to keep you going every morning until you can get the new starter.

Check for corrosion. On the strap from the engine to the chassis. Check for corrosion. On the battery cables inside wiring. check for corrosion at the starter on the starter cable.

After you've done that, check the nuetral safety switch :D

don't bosch warranty their remans for more than a year?

try the headlight test. turn the headlights on and have an assistant watch the headlights. turn the key, if the headlights dim then current is getting to the starter. obviously, if the starter is still dead...time for a new starter.

if the lights do not dim when you turn the key then the problem will most likely lie elsewhere....i.e. maybe a crank position sensor or a park-neutral safety switch.

An inductive DC ammeter placed on the main cable to the starter while jumping terminals 1 and 3 would tell you if current is flowing to the starter. If it is, problem is at the starter.

Have you checked the connections at the starter? If the little wire is loose it will cause an intermittently no start.

The thread I remember is this one

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/2708342-post15.html

but I think there are others - if I can find some more I'll post back.

update
 

throughly checked it out last night.

starter is drawing power. did not have a current probe to verify, but the voltage was applied to the starter. the voltage from the battery dropped from 12V to 10.16V when the key was put into the start position.

i slight tap to the solenoid resulted in a start.

ill check connections tonight. hopefully its simple...otherwise ill be checking out Bosch's warranty on starters.

thanks everyone, ill keep you posted.

now that it's started, you should take the jumpers and repeatedly jolt the solenoid. you may just have some cold grease in the bendix mechanism, keeping the starter from fully engaging... but if battery voltage is dropping that much, it sounds like a winding is bad on the starter. you could have a brush that's not touching, that would cause a high draw with no turn... but you say you hear no click? hard to believe the solenoid alone would drop the battery that much... you say 12V... EXACTLY what voltage is the battery putting out before you jump the solenoid? 12.xx?

Hmmm - I don't want to be all doom and gloom but can you turn the crank by hand?