Blakesgst

Hey guys, have a strange issue at the moment and hope someone can help. I drove home during the day, it was raining pretty heavy so i had my lights on. Well i left them on over night and it killed the battery. I replaced the battery and now when i turn the ignition I get dash lights, dome light, stereo plays fine, i can turn on my high and low beams, fan/heater controls, but when i try to start the car i get nothing, no power to the starter. Could i have shorted something out by leaving the lights on? Any ideas?

Thanks,

Blake

Former User

Check the rubber stopper at the top of the clutch pedal.

Blakesgst

Just tried it Ron, jumped the clutch switch with a wire and no change.

Thanks,

Blake

Former User

Check whether battery voltage reaches the starter solenoid connector [key in ON(III)] and the large starter motor connector (key off).

Blakesgst

Testing the small black wire which is an easy to remove small plug and the large wire with teh 12 mm nut at the solenoid im reading 12.66 with the key out, and 12.4 with the key turned to III/start position.

Blake

Former User

What are you using as ground for your voltage tests? Have you cleaned/tightened the G3 transmission ground and the G1 battery ground wires?

Blakesgst

Is G3 the one from the tranny to the frame about 10 inches away? I went ahead and cleaned that with my dremel really well as well as removed the paint where it attaches to the frame. Re tested from that point on the negative to the large nut on the solenoid i get the same voltage readings.

Blake

Former User

Same voltage reading now if you use the starter housing as ground? If so, the starter may be bad or the engine is seized. Can you push start the car?

Blakesgst

Sure don't see how the engine could be seized, im not hearing anything at the starter when i turn the key. So you want me to use the positive on the large solenoid nut and the negative on the starter housing? Is there a way i can jump the starter connections to see if it will crank?

Blake

Former User

If you can't turn the engine, then the starter can't work. It's easy to test.

Both starter terminals (motor and solenoid) are power. The starter grounds locally on the transmission via G3, G1, and battery.

Your voltage readings indicate that both starter terminals get proper voltage.

The next obvious questions are whether the starter gets proper ground and whether the engine is seized.

If you rule both out, then buy a new starter.

Blakesgst

Ok time out Ron, just realized i was testing the battery voltage basically, i was using the top large nut on the solenoid which is the cable coming from the battery to the solenoid. SO, i removed the rubber boot off the bottom of the solenoid, the wire that goes from the solenoid to the starter. Placed the positive from the voltmeter there, the negative on the frame ground and was reading 0 volts. Turned they key to III to see what the voltage would be and it fired right up, dirty connector from the solenoid to the starter?

Blake

Former User

The large starter cable from the hood fuse box supplies voltage to the starter motor. The smaller starter wire supplies voltage to the starter solenoid.

Likely. Clean and tighten all connections --- at the starter solenoid and motor as well as the fuse box.

Blakesgst

Thanks for all the help, sure was frustrating that it happened when i left my lights on.

Blake

Former User

Blakesgst

Hey Ron,

Well I'm having the same issue again, wondering if i just randomly got lucky last month when it started working. So I am starting from scratch. I was reading a bit on testing my starter voltage and want to make sure I am doing this correctly. If i connect the positive probe from my voltmeter to the small wire on the starter, and the negative to the battery negative I get 0 volts resting and cranked in III, does that mean my ignition switch isn't sending the signal?

Blake