Starting issues

[710wagon]

I’ve never had this problem but when I tried to start my 710 wagon it just makes a clicking noise. I already have changed the starter, so I know that’s not the issue.

 

does anybody know if these run a starter relay or a fuse that can blow causing the motor not to turn over? I know it’s receiving power because the light inside is turning on and on the dash. 

[datzenmike]

I hope you kept your old starter. They are better quality that the replacement.

 

Starters draw huge amounts of current and why the big cable goes directly to it from the battery. First make sure the battery is fully charged and that the cable clamps and battery posts are clean and tight.

 

If all is good get a meter and pull the small BlackéYellow wire on the starter solenoid. Check the voltage with the ignition in the START position. Should be 12.6v or whatever the charged battery reads. On mine I was getting 7v and it's not enough to fully engage the solenoid. (old, small gauge wires that are too long, poor contacts, maybe even the old ignition switch, causing a voltage drop)

 

Just to prove this, run a jumper wire from the battery positive terminal and touch the terminal on the solenoid. Have a care and make sure car is out of gear. If starter functions properly then the start signal is weak.

 

 

Hot start relay.

You can use a relay that uses this weak signal to provide a stronger voltage to the solenoid.

 

 

 

[710wagon]

Thank you for that info I will give that a shot this coming weekend and see if I can get some data. I thought maybe it would be the battery but I had that checked and it’s still good and I have a tender on it.

 

unfortunately the old starter is long gone I’ve gone through a few starters over the past couple years. I do agree these secondary starters do suck. That’s why at first it made the clicking sound as if it were the starter, so I replaced it. And then the new one I had did the exact same thing

[opalbeetle]

I had the same problem with mine. Sometimes it worked and other times not. 
 

I wired in a relay and haven’t had a problem since. 

[Draker]

Similar issue here on my 1200. Long story, but the end result was a voltage drop at the starter solenoid which caused it to not engage all the way and it made a clicking/grinding noise.

[710wagon]

Looked at it today and tried jumping it and what it’s doing is making a clicking noise from this unit up against the firewall which I’m not 100% sure what it is. Does anybody know what this is?

 

after this part clicks which I can hear and I put my hand on and I could feel it inside then the starter clicks like it’s trying to start with a dead battery. 
 

any thoughts or am I way out there? 

 

[datzenmike]

That's part of the EGR warning system. It's a counter/detector that keeps track of mileage and when reaching 50,000 miles a switch closes to turn on the EGR lamp on the dash. The lamp also lights when starting to show the lamp works. This is to remind the driver to check the system which really means to remove and wire brush the EGR valve. The counter can be reset but easier to unplug and throw away.

[Dave 240Z]

What happens when you put 12 volts to the little solenoid terminal?

If your car is automatic, the neutral inhibitor switch can go bad (or out of adjustment on some cars) and keep the starter from working.

[710wagon]

 

On 3/27/2022 at 7:40 PM, Dave 240Z said:

What happens when you put 12 volts to the little solenoid terminal?

If your car is automatic, the neutral inhibitor switch can go bad (or out of adjustment on some cars) and keep the starter from working.

it’s a manual. I also checked the terminals to the battery and the wire that goes to the starter everything is solid. My only conclusion could be I got two bad starters but that would be very high odds. 

[datzenmike]

On 3/27/2022 at 7:40 PM, Dave 240Z said:

What happens when you put 12 volts to the little solenoid terminal?

 

 

 I didn't see an answer to this. Use a jumper cable even, from the positive terminal and touch the solenoid terminal.  If it engages the starter every time then the start signal is bad from the ignition switch and never was the starter.

[710wagon]

4 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

 

 I didn't see an answer to this. Use a jumper cable even, from the positive terminal and touch the solenoid terminal.  If it engages the starter every time then the start signal is bad from the ignition switch and never was the starter.

Ok thanks I’ll give that a try tomorrow. I do know that when I attempt to start it the starter does make a clicking sound like it’s trying to engage if that makes a difference. 

[datzenmike]

The clicking sound is the solenoid. It's job is to internally connect the battery to the starter and move the star wheel out to engage the ring gear on the flywheel. If the start signal from the ignition is weak the solenoid won't always work properly. This is why I suggest a jumper from the battery directly to the solenoid to bypass and eliminate the ignition switch.

 

When jumpered directly from the battery if the starter works then the signal is at fault and no amount of new starters is going to fix this.

[710wagon]

Did all the tests and the other starter when it was out of the motor would engage but when I would put it in for some reason it would not engage the motor. I ended up just buying a new starter and replacing that and now it starts flawlessly.