drivestwin

FIXED!!!! 1994 6 speed coupe. I had some issues with the left front speake/amp so I thought it was time for an aftermarket upgrade.

Went with a pioneer double DIN head unit and new infinity speakers front and back. I removed the tuner and all the stock amps.

Everything went fine but we did have to charge the battery by the end of the day.

New unit sounds great and am very happy.....but now the engine won't crank to start. No stock harnesses were cut, only tapped into the accessory power supply in the console, and found the illumination wire as well.

I have tried both keys, checked all fuses in all areas and all is good there. Any ideas? The snow is still melting, so I am in no hurry, but a bit frustrated so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cruisinfanatic

Charge battery over night

drivestwin

Thanks, I sure hope that does it, but I am shocked that no click, nothing when I turn key over....the lights come on for park brake but that's it.

1993C4LT1

Security light flashing, or on with no flashes, with the key in ON position?

drivestwin

Light is flashing when key is off. Light goes out when u turn the key on

aklim

If that doesn't work, how determined are you to do this? Are you wanting a quick fix or would you like to go all the way to starter removal if necessary? There are 2 wires. a small and a big one on the starter. Disconnect the small one and put one of the alligator clips on a DVOM and the other alligator clip on the ground terminal. Try to crank. If you get a positive, it means you have signal. Whether you have enough battery or whether enough battery is getting to the starter is another story but we need to find out if it is getting the signal to go ahead.

drivestwin

Easy check, thanks. As far as how determined?......until it's fixed.

I did check this morning and a full 13.4 volts and still nothing. I did have then center console apart and now the rear hatch release doesn't work. Looks like I am pulling that back apart.

drivestwin

Easy check, thanks. As far as how determined?......until it's fixed.

I did check this morning and a full 13.4 volts and still nothing. I did have then center console apart and now the rear hatch release doesn't work. Looks like I am pulling that back apart.

1993C4LT1

If the security light is on, no flashes, it's a vats problem.

drivestwin

The light goes out, not just stops flashing, sorry.

aklim

I suspect that you bumped the neutral safety off. It should be around the shifter

WVZR-1

This fellow has an M6 so I doubt the trip to the 'shifter' necessary.

He's maybe done something as foolish as slid the mat way up and under the clutch pedal and pedal travel is reduced so the clutch safety switch doesn't energize the relay.

aklim

I don't have an M6 so IDK .I always thought they had an equivalent system on the shifter. Maybe he should be able to check the starter for a signal?

PatternDayTrader

If you are saying that you have 13.4 volts at the solenoid post when you turn the key to the crank position then its pretty likely you have a bad starter. I would recheck it with a test light and if it lights up when you turn the key in to the crank position then I would replace the starter. Something else you can try is have someone hold the key in the crank position and tap the starter with a small hammer or large wrench and see if it starts to crank. If so then replace the starter.
No matter what happens, I would caution you about making the assumption that the radio install has something to do with the no crank condition. They could be related, but its just as likely they are not. Coincidence can be very misleading.

drivestwin

The 13.4 reading was at the battery as it was pretty dead the day before.

Is there any security interface with the radio that could be giving me grief?

I am pretty able to work with electrical issues, but this one has me stumped.

aklim

Let's do this. If you are sure your batter was dead, recharge fully and bring it in to be tested. Nothing I like better than to be doing testing on a battery that is halfway FUBAR. Still, if it is 13.4V, you should be able to crank and get an idea if the signal is going to the starter or not. OTOH, we can waste your money by removing VATS, changing relays, starter, cable, etc, etc. I don't care what your battery is doing if it isn't reaching the starter. If the starter gets a signal to crank and it doesn't do it, the starter to the battery cable lies is the issue for the most part.

So you said you were determined. Get under the car and test the small wire to the starter. I'd like to take it off so that there is the DVOM and only that and no doubts about the alligator clip is not on the bolt right. If we find it is getting a signal, it is the starter or the positive cable.

WVZR-1

Take the driver side floor mat out, sit your a$$ down, depress clutch, turn key cylinder to CRANK and go for a ride!!

**** Unless you've done something 'stupid' during the install I'd think you're all set!!

aklim

If he can't get it started, he'd have to take the driver side floor mat out, cut a hole and "Fred Flintstone" it.

drivestwin

I hate to say it, but starting to lean to the "did something stupid" option. I just can't figure out what it may have been. I did totally remove the Bose system, tuner, amps and all. I did not cut any wires, just did a splice into power wires that are already there.

But I did notice this morning that the rear hatch release in inoperable. So I will start there to see if I have voltage and hope that leads me somewhere.

Thanks so much!!!

aklim

Why did you take it all out? You could have left everything there but just run a separate set of wires. I had Best Lies run speaker wires from the front to the back and to the sides. There is little you can screw up with a straight wire and under my eyes. Got home, stripped the wires as I wanted and wired it up to what I wanted. They make a plug, I think to work with the stock harness so I didn't have to splice, IIRC. Just wire ends sticking out, pick what you want and go with that. Worst case scenario, you could do that if your wiring is FUBAR.

IDK about an M6 but WVZR-1 said there wasn't some sort of neutral safety switch to ensure you are in neutral so I'll take his word for it. I'm not sure if there is some sort of connection between the hatch and the starter other than you were there and may not have connected the hatch button. What about the door buttons? Could they work or totally shot? Either way, I'd get the motor running before I polish the chrome, if ever I do.