brace on CA20 EFI

I have a 1984 Nissan Stanza. For years, it has sometimes taken more than one turn of the key to energize the starter. I don't know how to get to the switch contacts.

Just in case the key switch won't work one day, I've put a terminal on five feet of wire so I can connect the terminal to the solenoid and touch the wire to the battery.

It works, but I have to remove an engine brace to get my hand to the solenoid. The vertical brace weighs more than 2 pounds. I use a 14mm socket to remove the screw holding it on the transaxle and a 13mm socket to remove two nuts holding it to the intake manifold.

When I remove the brace, is it necessary to replace it? What's it for?

Reply to
J Burns
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To hold the fenders on.

Reply to
willshak

It's not attached to a fender. It's vertical, about the midline of the car, connecting the transaxle to the intake manifold. Everything felt solid without it. I started the engine and didn't see anything wrong, but I wonder why Nissan would have used such a heavy brace if it's not necessary.

Reply to
J Burns

Well, it's holding something on, or together. Check with a Nissan repair shop.

Reply to
willshak

J Burns wrote in news:l7vpfh$gl5$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

Wouldn't it be better to leave the wire in place? you could wire it to a push-button and then to the battery (maybe through a fuse if you were going to do things properly. Then on the times when the key didn't work you could just press the button - got to be good on a rainy day.

Reply to
Wrecker Jim

That was my original plan. I've gotten sturdy, reliable connections with live-spring wire nuts. But there's no slack between the harness and the ignition switch.

In that case, I thought I might use quick splices to tap into the battery and starter circuits without cutting the wires. I'd want to know what gauge wires I was working with, to get quick splices to fit. I have the Nissan service manual and the Haynes manual. I can't find any mention of gauges in either.

The circuit appears to be fused only by the fusible link at the battery. Solenoid resistance is under an ohm, so current would be over 12 amps... but it might not be. For the first instant, inductive reactance would limit current. Then, when the solenoid went home, one of the coils would be cut out, reducing current. I can get a 10A, 120VAC momentary pushbutton. That would probably be adequate, but I don't know.

A couple of times when the problem has gotten bad, I've fixed it temporarily by disconnecting the battery ground, disconnecting the wire from the solenoid, and connecting an ohmmeter between the wire and the positive terminal of the battery. I'd spray contact cleaner into an opening at the back of the switch lock and work the switch until I had zero ohms.

I've noticed something strange. I have a manual transmission. According to wiring diagrams, there's nothing connected to the wire except the solenoid at one end and the switch terminal at the other. Instead of infinite ohms with the switch not on "start," I get 24 ohms. It seems as if there must be a relay coil that not on the wiring diagrams. Hmmmm... I guess I'll remove the brace, disconnect the wire, turn the key, and listen for a click. If I hire a 5-year-old to reach in and remove the wire, I won't have to remove the brace!

When I had trouble with my turn switch, it was hardened lubricant on the contacts. Maybe there's nothing wrong with the start switch except hardened lubricant. Maybe a shot of oil like WD-40 would be the solution.

Reply to
J Burns

If it's what I'm thinking of, it is a support brace for the intake manifold. Without it, under varying hot/cold driving/vibration conditions, the intake manifold gasket will fail much sooner than it otherwise (never) would.

GW

Reply to
Geoff Welsh

Thank you.

Reply to
J Burns

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