Re: Starting Problems - Any Advice Appreciated

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- phil w
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Aug 25, 2003 6:00 AM

Lately I have been having trouble getting my car started. It began a
> few months ago, when I started noticing that when I would turn the > ignition, I would hear a click [which I now believe is both the relay > for my ECU on the passenger side in the dash, as well as another noise > coming from the large ECU component on the top part of my engine, next > to the fuel injectors and the intake]. Nothing would happen. It would > click, and that's it. After repeatedly turning the ignition switch a > few times, eventually it would kick into gear, and my engine would > start normally. > > I shrugged it off as some weird old-car thing, since I have an 89 > mitsubishi galant, with about 230k on it. > > Well, a few days ago, it began doing some even weirder stuff. Now > sometimes it will crank, but not start. The engine turns over just > fine, so I know it's not a battery problem, and I just replaced the > spark plugs and wires, so I doubt it's not getting a spark. Could it > be the starter? Or, the ignition coil? The only reason I'm asking is > because I don't want to spend $100 on a new starter and it turn out > that that's not the problem. > > I would greatly appreciate any and all comment/suggestions, as I am a > college kid without much money to afford a new car right now. Other > than this occasionaly problem, my car gets me where I need to go, so > I'm not complaining. Perhaps one day, I'll get a new, more reliable > form of transportation, but I need this car to last until I can make > that a reality. > > Thanks in advance! > > -- > Joshua > [you can also email me at representative045@hot[nospam]mail.com - just > remove the [nospam] to email me. thanks.]

- M
- Mike Romain
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Aug 25, 2003 4:10 PM

The click and then start thing is 'usually' a sign of dirty connections on the main battery cables. I would be cleaning all the big main wires at 'both' ends before spending money.

Sometimes you can find the bad connection by feeling the wires after it has clicked a couple times. The bad connection will usually heat up.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

jshDude wrote:

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- Anthony
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Aug 25, 2003 11:15 PM

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (jshDude) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

suggestions: A) clean the battery cables and posts B) clean the wire ends at the starter and at the starter relay (if equipped) C) clean the ground cable ends where they attach to the motor/body If the above doesn't work: D) remove 1 spark plug, place it on the engine in a place where the outside metal body is grounded (on a bracket or something) have a buddy crank the engine over a couple of times, you should see a nice lively spark across the spark gap. This should not be a yellow spark, but a nice bright blue/whiteish spark. Yellow spark would mean a weak secondary on the ignition coil, or whatever is firing the primary side is weak. E) if the spark is good, then you are missing either fuel, or air, or the spark isn't happening at the correct time. F) if the spark is non-existant, bum a multimeter from one of your EE buddies and check the primary voltage going to the coil. If you have voltage going to the coil as you crank the engine, then the coil is bad. No voltage to the coil..would indicate something amiss further into the ignition system.