i had this problem last night when i re-relocated (i know re-redundantdant) the battery up front (again if you will). anyway, after messing around rewiring my system, car wouldn't start. i tried banging the starter, no luck. jumpstarted the battery, started but when i start it again, it dies. battery is no problem since i have the lightning audio blue top battery and i was just bumpin my radio with the car off no problem. after reading around ht all night, i went downstairs at 2am and took out the main relay. didn't really do anything to it, just looked at it. anyway this morning i plugged the main relay back on just to give it another try, it started on first attempt. then i thought it was just luck, tried it over and over and it worked!

now how weird is this? basically i just took out the main relay and plugged it back in ( didnt do anything to it) and it's starting fine again. any idea on what just happened?

edit: went back down to try it again, won't start anymore, just that damn clicking sound



Modified by katsumoto at 11:21 AM 4/23/2004

 

So what are you asking?
Is the answer "Get a new main relay"???

 

i'm about to hit the junkyard in a few and see if that would work while i have the other one resoldered. reason i'm askin is because would the starter be a problem also?

 

if the relay is clicking, it means there is a bad ground somewhere along the line. it could be that it is grounded enough some times when trying to start it, and other times its not grounded at all. try looking for any places there could be a loose or missing ground.

 

just wondering, but were you not getting fuel or spark? or did you have spark and no fuel or visa versa? trying to figure out a problem im having and just wondered what your symptoms were.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Origin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just wondering, but were you not getting fuel or spark? or did you have spark and no fuel or visa versa? trying to figure out a problem im having and just wondered what your symptoms were.</TD></TR></TABLE>

got fuel. got spark. got battery. don't know what else is wrong.

 

if u are getting all these thing bro

u need to check that relay and grounds sounds like a relay or ground problem

as u are getting all this stuff but not go or crank over

 

well my grounds/connections are absolutely in good condition with 4ga wiring on all ground points. about the main relay i haven't tried another one yet since i couldnt get to the junkyard. anyway i'll try tomorrow. by the way when i put it on II at the ignition, i hear a click from the relay, when i try to start it, just rapid clicking sound but no start.

 

im having the same problem let me know what it is...the only difference with mine is that when i wiggle the steering wheel you can hear the clicking noise from the relay and you see everything in the cluster start again including the fuel pump

 

looks like a classic main relay problem. you said it started in the morning correct. which is usually when its the coolest outside. Generally before the main relay goes completely crap it wont work when it gets hot IE car that has been sitting outside. Your best bet is to find one in a junkyard since autozone and such charges I think $48 or so for a new one.
Easy way to check if this is the problem let your car sit out in the hot sun for a few hours see if it starts, if not take out the main relay put it in the freezer for like five min. put it back in the car. If the car starts thats your problem.

 

^ what he said.. main relays get hot and stick. also tapping them will work at times, taking it out and tossing it on a table or somthing may have done it,

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by racerxb18b &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">looks like a classic main relay problem. you said it started in the morning correct. which is usually when its the coolest outside. Generally before the main relay goes completely crap it wont work when it gets hot IE car that has been sitting outside. Your best bet is to find one in a junkyard since autozone and such charges I think $48 or so for a new one.
Easy way to check if this is the problem let your car sit out in the hot sun for a few hours see if it starts, if not take out the main relay put it in the freezer for like five min. put it back in the car. If the car starts thats your problem.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i guess it would seem that way when it started in the morning. it had no problem. then again when i got home around 2am it started again. but 2nd attempt wouldn't. hopefully it's just the main relay and not the starter cause i'm broke as hell.

edit: by the way, i'm seeing about 4 or 5 post with their cars not starting also. what's up with this?

 

I am having the exact same problem in my '89 DX. I just swapped in a new(er) D15 and it runs just fine (mostly) and always starts in the morning when it is nice and cool. However, after driving around for a bit, and letting it sit for a few minutes, such as when you go to the store or get gas or something, it won't start back up all it does is crank and crank and crank, but no fire.

so, the question is, where the fsck is this main relay thing? I have no clue

 

its on top of your hood release. get a 10mm take off your hood release it will be right there

 

so it is like under the dash then? I am assuming you arent talking about the hood release that is actually on the front of the car

I will jack with it tomorrow and report back

 

alright, i had a five finger discount at the junkyard for the main relay but turned out it wasn't the problem. my deep cycle battery basically ran out of cca's but still holding charge and giving power. put in my stock battery and it's fine now. probably just use that as a 2nd battery for my system. anyway, thanks for the help though. the main relay to take it out? unscrew the coin holder by the hood latch (one by the dash) then use his instructions. (10mm socket/wrench) you should see it.