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New Clue with no start ....

To review...78 corolla wagon, well maintained, low mileage. New everything. Every once in a while it won't start. Always starts for me when I boost and get the kids going again. Figured it was the switch. Turns out that if the lights are left on, even for a moment, and we try to start, it won't turn over. Just clicks, like a faulty starter selenoid. Its like a circuit breaker trips and it has to reset before the damn thing will start.

Does this extra clue give anyone an idea as to the cause......

Reply to
Gordo
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What do you mean by that statement, boost? Jumpstart?

Sounds like the starter or battery, how old is the battery? Chances are the battery is taking a dump, the alternator charges it enough to try and turn the starter but that's about it, leaving the lights on and starting your car puts a lot of strain on it.

Reply to
Josh

Yeah, jumpstart ..... engages and turns over like crazy.

Well I swapped in a battery which worked fine in another vehicle I have. But, yeah, it could be coincidental that both batteries are on the brink.. Local shop can check them for me, so might as well do that. But it is so wierd how intermittent the problem is. The teens putt around in it with head lights on for safety so it might not be getting any good charges if they keep the revs down.

Reply to
Gordo

Thought I'd just pass this along for other "No Start" victims. Well I checked both batteries (the original in the car and a spare I have) with a load device at a shop and all OK. I reasoned that with the plunger operating (CLICK - CLICK), the ignition switch and neutral safety switch had to be OK. Classic starter wear symptoms. Even though the starter was just rebuilt with new contacts and plunger by a reputable shop, I pulled it off again and went to a different mechanic than the one who rebuilt the starter. The last time I had it out all the original guy did was "bench test" it to claim it was not his work or parts. Anyway, as we got into it, we found that the contact that is attached to the main cable terminal was loose! This allowed the contact to pivot up ever so slightly and contact the plunger with just with the tip. This prevented the plunger from a good all-round contact and caused arcing and pitting on the plunger and started to wear down the new contacts with the arcing. Bought new contacts (again), cleaned up the plunger, installed it properly and it works like a charm. So if the damn thing was fixed properly originally, I wouldn't have had this ongoing problem. The only real extra expense I had was new + and - cables, which maybe wasn't such a bad idea anyway. Now back to my 390 Ford .........

Reply to
Gordo

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