No start, no crank. Click, click....

[TJenkins]

Hello all, yes the dreaded click! I've read all the threads that I could find and I think it is a solenoid / starter issue but before I pull it off I was hoping someone could validate my rational for the diagnose. Pretty simple, I have 12.4 volts at the solenoid on the hot wire and when I turn the key I have 12.3 volts on the red wire. I removed and cleaned the connections on the solenoid as well as the ground connection on the transmission. My logic suggests that I'm getting the power needed to where it is needed but nothing so... solenoid/starter.

Disappointing thing is that I just rebuilt the shifter (laying in the driveway under the car at midnight while mosquitoes feasted on me) , took it for a spin, turned it off and that was it - dead. Push started it, drove it home, ran great but just won't turn over.

Anything else before I pull the starter??

Thanks,
Thomas

[KevAndAndi]

I can't opine on the diagnosis, but my feeling about our cars is that if the starter is original, it should be replaced. I recently installed a new gear-reduction starter along with a relay.

What a pleasure it is to turn the key and not hear the anxiety-inducing "RRRrrr-RRRrrr-RRRrrr" that never seemed strong enough to start the car, but nevertheless eventually did. I wanted to avoid finding myself far from home when the starter finally decided to quit for good.

The relay is a good idea because it avoids having the current flow through the ignition switch, helping to preserve that vulnerable item.

[TJenkins]

Hi Kevin, yes I hear what you are saying. If in the end I do have to pull the starter I will certainly give purchasing a new one serious thought. Was hoping to have it on the road this weekend but not looking promising.

Cheers,
Thomas

[So Cal Mark]

you have to check voltage with a load on the system, otherwise you won't ever see the voltage drop

[courtenay]

Pull the red and brown wire connections apart (they're near the alternator), clean and reconnect - see if that helps...

[RRoller123]

The "Click Of Death" as I calls it, can be caused by the first connector, C31, (white block - 6?maybe 8 pos, can't remember) a few inches downstream of the ignition switch, working loose even though all is well visually. I suffered this damned thing repeatedly until I rewired the system, bypassing the switch housing for direct connections. Not a single problem since. Perfect start every time. Removed the plastic housing, cleaned and tightened the male/female connectors, put together and applied heat shrink wrap to the individual connections protect and hold, then ty-wrapped it all back in place under the dash. It is all reversible too, if for some reason that was desired.







I have an aftermarket ignition switch, Lada, wired thus:

[DieselSpider]

A lot of starter solenoids and starters die because the ignition switch doesn't provide enough current to the starter solenoid which causes it to overheat and eventually burn out. If it starts by jumping the battery terminal on the starter to the solenoids ignition switch connection then the solenoid and starter are good and the problem is low current from the ignition switch. Best thing we all can do for ourselves after cleaning the main power cable connection under the hood is to use a universal 40 amp relay which only requires a few milli-amps to trigger between the ignition switch and the starter powering it with a 15 to 20 amp fused line directly off the batter lead under the hood.

If unsure about the starter, pull it and take it to a local Advance, Oreilly, etc that does free starter testing and have them check it out for you on their test bench. They will tell you if the solenoid is bad or if the complete starter needs replacing. Once you have taken care of any damage to the starter just be mindful that you may have only dealt with a symptom of a low current issue and have not gotten to the root cause of the failure. Voltage can appear correct even when connections are bad and incapable of providing the amperage required for proper starter operation.

Clean and tighten up the ignition switch terminals/connectors too but get that potentially 10+ amp starter solenoid load off of it using a relay.

[courtenay]

Diesel - In an earlier thread, you described the process to wire a relay between the ignition and the starter. IIRC, the red wire shown in the picture I posted is the wire that runs between the ignition and starter. Is that right?

[DieselSpider]

Diesel - In an earlier thread, you described the process to wire a relay between the ignition and the starter. IIRC, the red wire shown in the picture I posted is the wire that runs between the ignition and starter. Is that right?

I do it under the hood right at the starter. Its superlatively obvious what your dealing with there. At the starter I believe the wire from the ignition switch could be pink or white with a red stripe. Its the one already connected to the solenoids trigger coil regardless of the color.

[TJenkins]

Thank you all for the great suggestions! I'm in the midst of some home renovations so hopefully I will get some time during the weekend to get back to the car (I know what I would prefer to be doing). I'm certainly learning a lot - this is all new to me. I will post an update (or more questions) when I have one.

Thanks again, cheers,
Thomas

[profcucchi]

The "Click Of Death" as I calls it, can be caused by the first connector, C31, (white block - 6?maybe 8 pos, can't remember) a few inches downstream of the ignition switch, working loose even though all is well visually. I suffered this damned thing repeatedly until I rewired the system, bypassing the switch housing for direct connections. Not a single problem since. Perfect start every time. Removed the plastic housing, cleaned and tightened the male/female connectors, put together and applied heat shrink wrap to the individual connections protect and hold, then ty-wrapped it all back in place under the dash. It is all reversible too, if for some reason that was desired.







I have an aftermarket ignition switch, Lada, wired thus:

This is quite the newbie question, and I'm sure you answered it in the post, but...

I can rewire everything and not go through the ignition switch? I've made new connections already so more are not a problem.

I'm thinking the contortions to my body may be the worst part.

[RRoller123]

NO, you can rewire and not go through C31. NOT referring to bypassing the Ignition switch. That is required and remains. That C31 White block connector is a source of a LOT of problems. Just remove the Faston type connectors from the plastic housing and connect them directly together, secured with shrink wrap. This bypasses the connector and makes them direct, It will never fail again!

[profcucchi]

NO, you can rewire and not go through C31. NOT referring to bypassing the Ignition switch. That is required and remains. That C31 White block connector is a source of a LOT of problems. Just remove the Faston type connectors from the plastic housing and connect them directly together, secured with shrink wrap. This bypasses the connector and makes them direct, It will never fail again!

Sounds like a plan for late August, July is too busy, and it's only the 4th!

Thanks!

[TJenkins]

OK long story short...followed the advice I received and nothing came to light. I pulled the starter and had it rebuilt (starter and solenoid) and a couple of weeks ago reinstalled it. Fired right up problem solved .... so I thought. Took it out for a few short spins, longest being about 1/2 hour, forgot how much fun it was to drive. I started it up and parked it for the winter, everything good. I needed to move it but .... yep same issue, click of the relay and that's it. So it was either a coincidence that it started when i replaced the starter or what ever caused the issue with the starter initially has fried the rebuilt solenoid.

Any suggestions at what could be the root cause?

Thanks in advance,
Thomas

[So Cal Mark]

sounds like low voltage to the starter