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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 40
From: SE Ohio
St. Jude Donor '16-'17-'18,'19
Help
I took my 1991 L98 auto. for a drive today ( about an hour ) stopped for dinner, and when we tried to start it again it would not crank. I had power to the lights, radio ect. After setting for almost two hours it started. It happened a couple times before and I changed the starter interrupt relay, but it looks like that didn't fix it. The security system was not armed any of the times this happened. Any ideas about what's going and how to fix it would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Bob
Thanks
Bob
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 15,926
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I took my 1991 L98 auto. for a drive today ( about an hour ) stopped for dinner, and when we tried to start it again it would not crank. I had power to the lights, radio ect. After setting for almost two hours it started. It happened a couple times before and I changed the starter interrupt relay, but it looks like that didn't fix it. The security system was not armed any of the times this happened. Any ideas about what's going and how to fix it would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Bob
Thanks
Bob
Does it click or try to turn over?
Have your battery tested under load.
if you have vats try your other key
Last edited by antfarmer2; Jul 11, 2015 at 10:49 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 40
From: SE Ohio
St. Jude Donor '16-'17-'18,'19
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,492
Likes: 61
From: New Jersey
Check all connections between battery and starter.
How many miles? Could be the starter solenoid. Same problem last year on my wife's '04 Dodge and it was the starter solenoid - put on a rebuilt starter - now it's fine.
The copper contacts on the solenoid wear pretty quickly and I am surprised how long they actually last. Last year I did some minor upgrades to my '96 and I had to pull the starter out to pull the oil pan. I did a solenoid rebuild and was surprised at how much wear was on the copper ring on the plunger and the the copper contacts inside the solenoid. And the car only has about 54k on it.
Good luck.
How many miles? Could be the starter solenoid. Same problem last year on my wife's '04 Dodge and it was the starter solenoid - put on a rebuilt starter - now it's fine.
The copper contacts on the solenoid wear pretty quickly and I am surprised how long they actually last. Last year I did some minor upgrades to my '96 and I had to pull the starter out to pull the oil pan. I did a solenoid rebuild and was surprised at how much wear was on the copper ring on the plunger and the the copper contacts inside the solenoid. And the car only has about 54k on it.
Good luck.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2015
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Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
I had a similar issue before and this is what I was told by a friend.
"You have to verify that your starter interrupt relay is getting energized...and that if your neutral safety switch is also good. You will see this in the cranking circuit in the book. IF the starter interrupt relays is closing and supplying power to the starter...then it may be the terminals at the solenoid. Make sure your battery cables are TIGHT"
I never had the issue again and didn't check into it further so I don't know what it was. I think in my case maybe it was dirt in the ignition throwing off the pellet resistance? Anyway hope the info helps.
"You have to verify that your starter interrupt relay is getting energized...and that if your neutral safety switch is also good. You will see this in the cranking circuit in the book. IF the starter interrupt relays is closing and supplying power to the starter...then it may be the terminals at the solenoid. Make sure your battery cables are TIGHT"
I never had the issue again and didn't check into it further so I don't know what it was. I think in my case maybe it was dirt in the ignition throwing off the pellet resistance? Anyway hope the info helps.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,393
Likes: 2,741
I took my 1991 L98 auto. for a drive today ( about an hour ) stopped for dinner, and when we tried to start it again it would not crank. I had power to the lights, radio ect. After setting for almost two hours it started. It happened a couple times before and I changed the starter interrupt relay, but it looks like that didn't fix it. The security system was not armed any of the times this happened. Any ideas about what's going and how to fix it would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Bob
Thanks
Bob
"Dt86" pretty well summarized where you need to go.
I certainly wouldn't blame or think VATS the first course of repair. You might consider maybe carrying "both" keys for a while and if it does go intermittent and you have the second with you it would answer the question quickly.
For diagnostics only you might consider a JY visit, collect a connector from the VATS cylinder of any appropriate GM, add the appropriate resistance to the connector and use that as a diagnostic tool. I've friends who have constructed the connector and just carry it in the car. I know none of them that have had to actually use it though.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 40
From: SE Ohio
St. Jude Donor '16-'17-'18,'19
Thanks to all you guys. At the risk of sounding stupid what is a JY? I just noticed that the horn is not working and there is no power going to them. Would that be an indication that the problem may be in the VAT?
Bob
The car has 40k miles on it and the relay was just replaced a couple months ago. Only driven one other time since then.
Bob
The car has 40k miles on it and the relay was just replaced a couple months ago. Only driven one other time since then.
Last edited by Pa'svette; Jul 12, 2015 at 12:08 PM.
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Instructor
Joined: Jun 2015
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I had an '96 S10 that would very occasionally not crank, no click, nothing.
Whenever my wife would drive it, it was notorious for refusing to start.
I estimate 95% of the time that it refused to start, she was driving it.
And she very seldom drove it. Apparently, the S10 despised her.
On the rare occasion that it refused to start for me, I carried a hammer with me to rap on the outside of the starter. One sharp blow would get it going.
Finally , one day, it refused to respond to a couple blows from the persuader, and I had to change the starter. Problem solved.
Whenever my wife would drive it, it was notorious for refusing to start.
I estimate 95% of the time that it refused to start, she was driving it.
And she very seldom drove it. Apparently, the S10 despised her.
On the rare occasion that it refused to start for me, I carried a hammer with me to rap on the outside of the starter. One sharp blow would get it going.
Finally , one day, it refused to respond to a couple blows from the persuader, and I had to change the starter. Problem solved.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 40
From: SE Ohio
St. Jude Donor '16-'17-'18,'19
Spent some time in the garage this afternoon. The VAT seems to be working correctly with both keys. Checked all the fuses (both boxes) and relays. Next step is take to the shop, get it up in the air to check the starter and solenoid.
I love the car but can't trust her anymore after leaving me stranded three times. By the way if you ever in West Virgina and need to call AAA expect to be on hold for 30 min. then wait an hour for them to show up with jumper cables. And if it still wont start it's another two hours before the rollback can get there.
Luckily after the first guy left the car had cooled off and started. It's been that way every time.
Thanks for all the advise.
I love the car but can't trust her anymore after leaving me stranded three times. By the way if you ever in West Virgina and need to call AAA expect to be on hold for 30 min. then wait an hour for them to show up with jumper cables. And if it still wont start it's another two hours before the rollback can get there.
Luckily after the first guy left the car had cooled off and started. It's been that way every time.Thanks for all the advise.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 40
From: SE Ohio
St. Jude Donor '16-'17-'18,'19
When I disconnected the battery, to take the air bag out, the battery bolt was rusted to the cable end. Could that be my intermittent no start problem?
Bob
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,492
Likes: 61
From: New Jersey
Clean them, put an automatic battery charger on it and give the battery a good charge. While you have the battery disconnected find as many grounds as you can and clean them. They are shown in the Factory service manual. Reconnect the battery and see what happens.
