no start help
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 103
From: Ohio
no start help
so the car has been running well - thought i would enjoy an evening freeway run - went to start it it started to turn over then nothing - now nothing i can hear the pump and all the lights work - no codes - does anyone have any ideas or suggestions what to look for first or where? very confused by this - no clicking sound like the starter is trying - i am guessing something in that direction - ?
boy everytime i think i am ok - i am not
any help would be great
Sean
boy everytime i think i am ok - i am not
any help would be great
Sean
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 928
Likes: 164
so the car has been running well - thought i would enjoy an evening freeway run - went to start it it started to turn over then nothing - now nothing i can hear the pump and all the lights work - no codes - does anyone have any ideas or suggestions what to look for first or where? very confused by this - no clicking sound like the starter is trying - i am guessing something in that direction - ?
boy everytime i think i am ok - i am not
any help would be great
Sean
boy everytime i think i am ok - i am not
any help would be great
Sean
is there a fusible link to the starter?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 103
From: Ohio
thanks - I put it on a charger this morning just to make sure it's fully charged - and will try again tonight - may take to get it tested if that does not work
hammer to the starter? ok not sure about the fusible link I will check that tonight as well
thanks
Sean
hammer to the starter? ok not sure about the fusible link I will check that tonight as well
thanks
Sean
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 103
From: Ohio
battery was tested and showed 13v they said it was good - i know after i charged it today - i went to start it with the same result - turned key first dash lights nice and bright, turned to start and nothing - lights on dash dimmed noticeably - does that sound ok?
if i need to check wires or tap starter - I cannot access it from above can i - looks like an under the car only type thing?
if i need to check wires or tap starter - I cannot access it from above can i - looks like an under the car only type thing?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 928
Likes: 164
battery was tested and showed 13v they said it was good - i know after i charged it today - i went to start it with the same result - turned key first dash lights nice and bright, turned to start and nothing - lights on dash dimmed noticeably - does that sound ok?
if i need to check wires or tap starter - I cannot access it from above can i - looks like an under the car only type thing?
if i need to check wires or tap starter - I cannot access it from above can i - looks like an under the car only type thing?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,362
Likes: 2,730
For an '85 it would be valuable information when you post back after confirming connections and voltage at starter. At 36+ years it could maybe be assumed that the starter has been replaced by something 'other than' the original 10MT so repair/replace options could differ dramatically. Have you replaced the starter motor at any time since your ownership? If yes - with what?
Your car is an '85? You post most frequently regarding an '85 so I assumed! If it ain't it's important to ID the starter motor type on the car before doing a thing.
Your car is an '85? You post most frequently regarding an '85 so I assumed! If it ain't it's important to ID the starter motor type on the car before doing a thing.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Aug 28, 2021 at 08:50 AM.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 103
From: Ohio
thanks
sorry in my haste and somewhat frustration at the moment of posting - i forget - yes '85 - i have not replaced the starter with anything - at the moment i am assuming stock original - i should be under the car this afternoon i am going to try to make sure the starter is getting voltage from the battery first - then maybe the tap test - does that sound correct?
sorry in my haste and somewhat frustration at the moment of posting - i forget - yes '85 - i have not replaced the starter with anything - at the moment i am assuming stock original - i should be under the car this afternoon i am going to try to make sure the starter is getting voltage from the battery first - then maybe the tap test - does that sound correct?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 103
From: Ohio
I found this on the innerweb i cannot see that well under the car - the battery is reading 12.8v i reconnected it and i tried to check the large wire which I am at this point - guessing is the feed line from the battery (please correct me if i am wrong) which is the large wire on top in this picture - if that is the case when i put the volt meter to it it reads almost nothing - like .5v - shouldn't it read the 12.8v from the battery or am i understanding this incorrectly?
if i am right then it would seem to be a bad cable from the battery to the starter? - maybe (i ask like this because nothing seems this easy)
thanks
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,740
Likes: 1,638
From: Fairfax Virginia
I would do a double take at those battery connections. The post and battery connector should be wire brushed occasionally to help keep a good connection. Check your battery ground wire at BOTH ends. One of the big power connections is dirty and likely causing this problem.
The large wire on the starter was I believe the battery wire and yes, that should have had battery voltage. The other wire by itself is the "Start" to wake up the engine. If you don't have full battery there at the starter it is likely that you have a bad connection, or a bad wire. A bad ground will do the same thing here. Make sure all your connections are clean so they get accurate readings.
The large wire on the starter was I believe the battery wire and yes, that should have had battery voltage. The other wire by itself is the "Start" to wake up the engine. If you don't have full battery there at the starter it is likely that you have a bad connection, or a bad wire. A bad ground will do the same thing here. Make sure all your connections are clean so they get accurate readings.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 103
From: Ohio
will do - it just seems very strange - fine and running as good as it has ever for me to - well this - i will wire brush everything - nothing has been by the starter at all - connection down there should be unchanged - just weird - started to turn over then stopped and after that absolutely nothing - lights still on the dash just fine -
I should also mention 4 + 3 if that matters . . .?
thanks
I should also mention 4 + 3 if that matters . . .?
thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 928
Likes: 164
I found this on the innerweb i cannot see that well under the car - the battery is reading 12.8v i reconnected it and i tried to check the large wire which I am at this point - guessing is the feed line from the battery (please correct me if i am wrong) which is the large wire on top in this picture - if that is the case when i put the volt meter to it it reads almost nothing - like .5v - shouldn't it read the 12.8v from the battery or am i understanding this incorrectly?
if i am right then it would seem to be a bad cable from the battery to the starter? - maybe (i ask like this because nothing seems this easy)
thanks
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 103
From: Ohio
but if the big wire is not showing 12v - problem with the big wire . ..? - are there any other fuses/relays between the battery cable and the starter that I need to look at? anything to interrupt the juice to the starter - seems to be extra wires bundled in the plastic tube - -
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,740
Likes: 1,638
From: Fairfax Virginia
I would get the Factory Service Manual and look up in there where the ground paths are. Otherwise just follow the black wire to where it attaches to the frame or engine.
That large wire feeding the Starter should have 12 volts all the time on it. If you don't see 12 volts it is either a bad connection of a wire that has too much internal resistance. On my C3 the battery positive wire goes from the battery behind the drivers seat all the way to the starter motor. I am not sure where the C4's run their cables but it should be in the FSM.
Can you get under the C4 and follow the battery wire? That would be helpful as I suspect you will see a defect in the wire someplace that is causing it not to let the power get to the end. On my VW it looked like a olive in the wire where the corrosion took place.
When I use a external starter switch it gets attached to the starter Large wire from battery and the second wire off by itself which energizes the solenoid to crank the engine. That is how it is supposed to work at least.
That large wire feeding the Starter should have 12 volts all the time on it. If you don't see 12 volts it is either a bad connection of a wire that has too much internal resistance. On my C3 the battery positive wire goes from the battery behind the drivers seat all the way to the starter motor. I am not sure where the C4's run their cables but it should be in the FSM.
Can you get under the C4 and follow the battery wire? That would be helpful as I suspect you will see a defect in the wire someplace that is causing it not to let the power get to the end. On my VW it looked like a olive in the wire where the corrosion took place.
When I use a external starter switch it gets attached to the starter Large wire from battery and the second wire off by itself which energizes the solenoid to crank the engine. That is how it is supposed to work at least.