TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

The 'loooong cranks' thread is mine of recent.
This morning was cold and it cranked and cranked, the bat sounded like it was losing power.
I had discovered the problem of my long cranks was almost 100% the starter to tranny to chassis ground. So I tried to wiggle the existing tranny to chassis ground. Now the car will not do anything.
all lights come on in dash, but when i try to start, just the relay click.
Voltage on the bat is good.
Voltage at the starter solonoid (constant) is 12.5V
Voltage on trigger is 12.3V
Voltage to starter motor is 10.5V <Is this a problem?
I tried to 'jump' the starter while attempting to start to ensure that the starter motor was recieving the full 12V, still have nothing.
I have to assume its something to do with the wires I played with because it was fine before.
I've looked and looked but to no avail.
I have no tools Im stranded 1 1/2 hrs from my house. I have a multimeter, flathead screwdriver, phillips screwdriver(star) but thats it,
Is my starter toast ? I just had a new solonoid installed and rebuilt starter motor 10,000km ago.
what could inhibit cranking if the starter motor has power?
Im searching ......

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

bump still nothing, still have power at the starter. still searching with no luck

schreiber117

if your hearing the click, and you have power, it may just be the starter.

Im having a tough time starting and I hate when people tell me its my starter (just swapped it for the second time in four months) but dude, I really think it is in this case, try tapping the starter, or just replacing it...

Good Luck

dblock1

iTrader: (15)

Tapp the starte if it clicks. Sometimes the shaft sticks in the starter and des not contact the car

Chris Kapinos

sounds like it could be a grounding problem, make sure all the wires are grounded properly.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

grounds have been upgraded, all but the starter to tranny. With what I have i 'temporarly' grounded the starter and tranny with a 4G wire, and still nothing.
What I need and I dont have here (its at home) is the wiring diagram that shows the IIRC #32 fuse from the interior fuse panel to the 'START/ANTITHEFT' relay, then to the CLUTCH INTERLOCK relay, then to the starter. Im trying to get it online but if someone has it it would help me out a lot.
Like I said, it was cranking fine, I wiggled the wires, and now nothing. Im still searching those wires, but not finding anything.

udienow

iTrader: (15)

idk what to tell you since you messed with wires and stuff...
But I had the same problem. Loong cranks, till 1 day it cranked slower and slower then died and didnt crank again, just a click with the turn of the key. Seemed just like a battery dying, but battery was fine. Changed starter with lightly used oem starter, now car works flawlessly. I've read countless times that anything but oem starter is garbage.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

ok well I scrounged up an adjustable, broke the solonoid stud OOOPs
Cant get the upper (smaller of 2 starter bolts) bolt out, Im going to walk 1/2an hour to crappy tire and buy the socket and shyt. What size is that upper bolt head? looks like a 14-17..? I think the head reads '7' but hard to make out.
In trouble bad here thanks for any help.

schreiber117

two bolts on starter, one is 14 one is 17... Breakerbar FTW!!!! let me know if you need help, I've done this a lot now, can practically do it blindfolded

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

thanks man ive done it too, but no tools, ok 14mm , 17mm, extension and ratchet coming up.

andrei3333

starter for sure man
the lower bolt was a major biatch for me,

put an open end wrench on it and tap it with a hammer, worked for me - good luck, but starter is not hard to replace

scooby68

Hope you can see the detail to meet size req it was tough to do. 97 FSM EL 30-31 How about roll starting, you on a hill bud? .....used to work for me :}

andrei3333

just download the FSM here for free to see that page
http://phatg20.info/index.php?option...c=select&id=28

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

thanks boys, starters in, dont even ask how much I had to pay. All fixed, drove her home and slapped some 1G wire from starter to tranny, tranny to frame, she starts like new !

scooby68

Dude, whatever it cost you is alot less than the freakin dealership or mechanic would have cost you! Nice job! Did you crimp your own connections ?? I haven't done this yet I've been a little luckier I guess, I did remove battery tray and clean the body ground, I think it made a little difference, but it may be in my head. Thanks!

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

yeah no doubt definately less than a tow, and paying parts and someone to do it.
Yeah I did my own connections, just sized the length of wire, slip the connector on, I just used a hammer on the pavement to crimp it, as long as you dont strip more wire than the connector can hold it works fine. I use shrink tube as well.
Honesly Scooby, get on this, the reason(im sure) that the starter died prematurely is because of the constant cranks, with added grounds, it starts RIGHT away, like new. Do it soon bro or you'll be in the same position I was....

Art's97i30

i been having the same problem... i just gave in and took it to a shop... 200 bucks. and they say it'll start like new.. they havent quite told me exactly what it was, but my starter was good, my ignition switch was good, my grounds were good, im gonna ask exactly what it was so i can let you guys know, he said something about a wire that shorted out... i know im getting ripped off, but at least i know its almost fixed...

hellfyre

I will have to join this party too. I have been somewhat fortunate to have it fully die in the advance auto parts (AAP) parking lot while getting a breaker bar to take off the starter.

I dismantled everything and took out the starter, AAP tested the starter and it ran fine. Battery test showed it was good. Ignition switch clicks, 1 in 10 times it may crank for a fraction of a second and stop. Jumped the battery and still nothing. The wiring seems fine (I think). Time to have the max towed to the stealership. I may get some ground wire and test it again before getting it towed.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

if you want to pay 200$ for someone to ground the starter as many people have, go for it.

1chewabacha1

iTrader: (6)

How and what specifically have you guys done to ground the wires better. Which wire are you talking about? The ground wire that runs out of the starter itself?

hellfyre

I actually read more and am going to do the grounding tomorrow. I have a lot of 10AWG wire ready and that should be able to handle 50A steady current and a few hundred Amps pulsed. If that fails, I will try the mechanic. I have a multimeter and will give this a go tomorrow.

I hope Art's97i30 gets some constructive feed back from the mechanic.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

see post #14

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

10Guage will work but if it were me I'd use 4g MIN. It's getting direct battery power, would you use 10AWG on your neg battery terminal?

Subhumanfreak

yeah I had my starter rebuilt and when i put everything back in and started it..the harness on the positive cable was smoking...then it only has started one more time after that...I know that I most likely shorted out the wires in the red harness..I still dont know what made them smoke.Never has happened before.

hot_wax_tree

sweet well glad to here you made.