Starting Problem on '90 L98
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Starting Problem on '90 L98
My '90 vette just came up with a new problem. Intermittently, it won't start. The solenoid clicks but no turnover. Lights, radio, etc. work fine. When it does start, it turns over normally. Battery is only 1 month old. I'm thinking bad starter cable or corrosion on cable contacts. Any other opinions out there? Thanks...
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
sounds like a bad connection or possibly in the starter. When it does this try whacking the starter with a hammer and see if that takes care of it. I have read threads where this was the issue as well as a connection issue
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
I had the starter checked at the shop yesterday and it was real strong. solenoid is functioning great, also. Thanks for the assist, tho. It seems now, that it only acts up when its fairly cold outside. This morning, it gave me a little trouble at first and started on about the 6th try. I let it run for awhile to get the engine warmed up good and it didn't give me any trouble the rest of the day. I really think it's a bad electrical connection, like it says in the FSM manual, most of the intermittent electrical problems are due to faulty electrical connections. The shop cleaned the positiive connection on the starter yesterday, but failed to clean the negative. I'm going back there tomorrow and make sure they finish the job. A bad ground is just as bad as a faulty positive connection.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,699
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
I had the starter checked at the shop yesterday and it was real strong. solenoid is functioning great, also. Thanks for the assist, tho. It seems now, that it only acts up when its fairly cold outside. This morning, it gave me a little trouble at first and started on about the 6th try. I let it run for awhile to get the engine warmed up good and it didn't give me any trouble the rest of the day. I really think it's a bad electrical connection, like it says in the FSM manual, most of the intermittent electrical problems are due to faulty electrical connections. The shop cleaned the positiive connection on the starter yesterday, but failed to clean the negative. I'm going back there tomorrow and make sure they finish the job. A bad ground is just as bad as a faulty positive connection.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
Likes: 9
From: Merritt Ils Fl
Agree with the bad contacts in the starter part. If the brass contacts in the solenoid are burned the starter may or may not get the amps necessary to turn the engine, Testing it under a no-load condition, bench, will not tell you very much.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 427
Likes: 49
From: Pgh. Pa.
nippondenso starter? Bad solenoid contacts. Symptoms---After sitting turn key single click. A few more tries and it starts and good rest of day or until it sits for awhile. If the car is used every day it might go a month before it won't start at all for you.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Thanks to you guys for the info and recommendations. The shop owes me to complete the contacts cleaning job. I'm certain that the problem stems from a poor electrical connection. I'll let you know how it comes out.
