nighttrain33

I garaged my car for for the winter (a little too late cuz it got broken into the day before I garaged it), but as I tried starting it to pull it into the garage, the battery started dying. Tried jumping it, no-worky. Car turned over just fine, but the battery just died.

So, i replaced the battery, tested out to make sure I was getting power, sha-bam! Full power everything. Didn't try starting it since it was the dead of winter at this time, and didn't feel like opening the garage.

So finally March comes around and it starts getting a little warmer, so I decide to take the car out. Get it, turn the key, power comes on and then...nothing. Won't turn over AT ALL. So I take the starter out and take it to Autozone. Test it and it works just fine. Ok, I was kinda hoping it wouldn't so I'd at least know that was the problem.

So, I left it, decided "screw that," and bought something a little faster.



Needless to the car is FS.

But anyway, back to my story.

I was talking to my dad and he said that it could be my ignition switch, which I would like some confirmation on. Looking back on things, this could be very feasible to me considering what has happened in the past. Before all this drama occured, sometimes when I would try to start the car, I would get a click, try again, click, and then it would finally start after a few tries of turning the key.

Hopefully this is enough info for you to make a judgement and possibly provide me with some help. Thanks for any replies!

-Shane

IIXtremeHansen

i had just recently had that problem and fixed it yesterday.i would turn the key all the way and no crank. i had test light everything, fuses,relay,battery,starter and everything got signal. i test the ignition and it got signal, i unscrewed it and turn it over with a flat head and nothing but i dont know the signs of a bad ignition swtich but it might just be the problem. i rigged it by putting a new wire from the relay to the start and it started. i think i have a short somwhere between the relay and the ignition.

you may want to check your starter relay, relay in the fuse box, or your fuel pump if its not priming

mikeycivic

your not exactly suppose to let a car sit with the battery hooked up for lengthy periods of time. (sounds like you did) did you try jumping it? Your battery may be too drained to do anything

nighttrain33

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mikeycivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">your not exactly suppose to let a car sit with the battery hooked up for lengthy periods of time. (sounds like you did) did you try jumping it? Your battery may be too drained to do anything</TD></TR></TABLE>

My battery works fine. I ungrounded it after I changed it. Everything is getting power, but the motor won't turn.

-Shane

mikeycivic

do you get clicking, cranking, do you hear the fuel pump prime? Check fuses and relays and grounds first!

Si Shane

enough power to make the fuel pump prime and listen to some music is not enough power to turn your motor over. Get a meter, jumper cables or a battery charger before you consider the batter healthy!

Syndacate

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Si Shane &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">enough power to make the fuel pump prime and listen to some music is not enough power to turn your motor over. Get a meter, jumper cables or a battery charger before you consider the batter healthy!</TD></TR></TABLE>

The battery's fine. Even if it wasn't he'd at least get a clicking noise.

@ OP:
No use checking for spark since the engine isn't turning over. So it's definitely electrical, and since I'm pretty sure the main relay only governs the fuel I'd have to agree with your dad that it's a wiring problem in the ignition system someplace, easiest place to start is with the cylinder, see if you can take it apart and start it that way, if not a ground would be my next guess. You're PROBABLY looking at a loose, disconnected, or since it sat so long, possibly corroded wire.

I hate electrical issues.

Luserkid loves 'em, I'll PM him for ya, maybe he can help, he ownz w/ electrical issues. Luserkid &gt; Electricity.

Luserkid

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Syndacate &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The battery's fine. Even if it wasn't he'd at least get a clicking noise.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not always true, if something is draining the battery you wont even hear a click from the starter.

What i would do is get your multimeter and the power wire to the starter check it while its being turned over. If you see power drop you know you have a problem. Another thing that could be your problem is the power wire from the starter to the batt and starter to ignition switch (blk/white wire). Check all of that.

Syndacate

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Luserkid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Not always true, if something is draining the battery you wont even hear a click from the starter.

What i would do is get your multimeter and the power wire to the starter check it while its being turned over. If you see power drop you know you have a problem. Another thing that could be your problem is the power wire from the starter to the batt and starter to ignition switch (blk/white wire). Check all of that. </TD></TR></TABLE>

True, but 9 times out of 10 a "low" battery has at least enough to jolt the starter for a few clicks.

Unless it's like some of those classics u find where the battery's been in it for 20 years .

sauceja

I know rats and mice LOVE chewing on wires. Have had a few cars around here that sat for periods with chewed wires.

Sounds like a possible ground may have gotten rusty or loose somehow as well. That will play hell with trying to start. I would check the ground on top of the thermo as well as the tranny to frame rail ground and the ground from the battery to the body.

Also are your connectors for the battery good and tight. Not broken or full of acid buildup. Try cleaning all the connectors and reattaching.

Some more basic steps to go over before you start tearing apart your ignition system on a hunch.

nighttrain33

Well, I already got a new ignition switch from the dealer, hoping that is the problem, but I need to get the wires from the actual ignition to the harness hooked up, then we can see if that was the problem.

Also, my car was garaged all winter, and we don't see any critters in there, so a corroded/damaged wire is not too much of a concern, but I guess something to think about. I guess maybe I just don't want to consider that since I just want to get the car fixed and sold. If it was just the ignition switch, it will be easy to fix, but I don't feel like searching out a single, damaged wire!

-Shane

sauceja

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nighttrain33 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">but I don't feel like searching out a single, damaged wire!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah it sucks, I have had to do it before.

commotion

Fuse. my brother had same problem last week.

nighttrain33

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by commotion &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Fuse. my brother had same problem last week.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Fuses are all good. I wish it was that simple.

-Shane