Fresh swap - SR wont start - walk me through the basics

[Kalypso]

- when I turn the key all I get is a loud click.

- I hooked up all my grounds as well as I can see. some of the ground connections seem a little shady but I believe I did it well.

- battery is dying very fast. It died after 5 hours from a fresh charge. (its under warranty) I used a friends battery and still the same uneventful *click*.

- there is 0 fuel in the tank, or the fuel lines, but I still get no cranking sound.

- there is a wiring catastrophe under the steering wheel panel.a badly connected alarm and wires that end abruptly. the previous owner f*cked up the alarm/kill switch/turbo timer wiring - it will require an overhaul but I hope thats not enough to stop me.

ok now its your turn.

[positron1]

Clicking noise...your starter must be gone!

[Kalypso]

Sh*t

I hope not It was fresh off the boat before the swap and working fine.

I am going to take it off and have it tested.

[Kalypso]

Ok great news.

BRAND NEW BATTERY with warrantySTARTER TESTED and its 100% ( and i cleaned off all the grime so it spins more freely )

bad news:

when I put it back in, I still get that Identical Loud click.

Here is my question:

Can bad wiring under my dash/console drain enough power to prevent the starter from firing?

[lostconcepts]

I had the same issue w/ my swap. But I didn't have a wiring nightmare under the dash. Mine was just a ground that wasn't connected right. Check the starter ground, and the wiring that goes to the mini fuse box.

[positron1]

So the clicking is coming from under the dash?

[Kalypso]

i am here at my computer and I have instant messenger.

IM = the6thchamber

im going on now

[Kalypso]

[Kalypso]

^ here is the master piece

the starter is making the clicking sound = its an audible metallic thump, and I hear it without fail each time I turn the key.

it sounds like it doesnt have enough power to kick out, and crank the motor. but it does it fine at autozone

new battery - so there may be a power drain.

[Kalypso]

I had the same issue w/ my swap. But I didn't have a wiring nightmare under the dash. Mine was just a ground that wasn't connected right. Check the starter ground, and the wiring that goes to the mini fuse box.

thank you very much, I think It might be that simple

is the mini fuse box the one on the driver side front!? I attached lower wiring harness ground to the starter.

** the master ground for the entire wiring harness is attached to a spot with paint and barely any metal. at first it looked like the best spot, but That may be the problem.

[lostconcepts]

No the fuse box on the passenger side. That was my only problem starting it, besides the hacked messed up wiring of the coil packs! That dash harness is a MESS!! Might consider getting new dash harness?

[Kalypso]

maybe I should, but I have to move my car in the next week

time is against me.

since this photo, ive done the vaccum hoses and wiring, but you can see the spot where I put my grounds. I sanded a little bit of paint on and around it, but Now i think its not enough I need a better connection.

[lostconcepts]

The dash harness wouldn't be time consuming really. Find someone parting a S13 out, get the DHarness, then hook it up =)

Edit:: I will try and take a pic of how my grounds/wires are hooked up!

[Kalypso]

Thank you, please do that this is my first swap

the interior harness i could probably put in - in 20 minutes, but where can i find one so fast?

... I can do it.

I am moving out in 1 week. my car.. has to be running, or atleast away from my house ( down the block )

[lostconcepts]

Like I said maybe try to find one on here where someone is parting theirs out. Or try Ebay, or a local junkyard.

[Kalypso]

found one, for the digital cluster, because I have a HUDbut I am going to wait before I buy

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...7.m32

I might get up to tommorow and tackle my harness - start taking things apart - making progress and suddenly

[Kalypso]

- stripped it all out rather easily. resoldered and retaped - the ignition goes directly into the interior harness.

Now the starter click is instantaneous when I turn the key, rather then having that sluggish delay from the extra wiring.

- I shaved a chunk off my strut tower for my grounds.

- something is still off

It could be the fuses, or the mini fuse box. I noticed my mini has two fuses missing.

[Sleepy240]

Quick diagram of the fuse box

If you have an volt/amp meter check for continuity on some of the more important wires, quickest way to see if you have a short or a grounding issue IMO.

[Kalypso]

^ which fuse box is that, Interior?

thats useful a friend told me the same thingget a tester. thats next

I replaced all of my main fuse box fuses. before the swap, but its certainly time to test them all.

the local junk yard has a 91 hatch with collision damage, the fuses boxes should be in there and I have extras.

[Kalypso]

I got the fuse tester, replaced two fuses. (not the ignition/starter fuses tho)

I also replaced 4 relays in the mini fuse box. the ones on the bottom row with a spare that was in my working car before.

the mini has the clutch relay missing. but otherwise eevrything is perfect. and still just a click.

[PhopsonNY]

Have you checked your ignition switch?

[Kalypso]

UPDATE:: Jeff from heavy throttle says its the rear battery placement, bring it up front and do it direct,

we'll see. but only after I put a water pump back in.


Modified by Kalypso123 at 12:27 PM 5/27/2008

[sbird1]

Well, you have a real conundrum. One thing that I can think that may be causing a problem is a short. When I got my old S13 back from the body shop, they had disconnected the old ricer tach the previous owner had put in. One of the wires was still live and was resting against the body of the car. It made the car not turn over and just click. Just double and triple check all of your wiring.

On a related note, I HATE WIRING.

[Kalypso]

thats a valid point

thank you

i need to tripple and quadrouple check I am not very patient when it comes to wiring.

[idahotuner]

wow i suck at wiring. but i wntot know did you remove your battery tray. because the ground for the lower hanes is suppose to go to the battery tray.

[Kalypso]

the battery tray is gone

JEFF from heavy throttle told me too bring the battery to the front. I used jumper cables to hook up the fuse box - and i grounded it on varying places on the chassis... still no luck

the starter is not getting enough current.

but... some good news, I got a brand NEW clutch slave from NABCO JAPAN! and i am still staying positive. because it could in fact be something simple.

and now i can push start

thanks for all your help - you guys are certified

[bgsr240]

My car had the same problem and it turned out to be related with the large blue double relay in the stock battery location area. I used a jumper wire and jumped the the black and yellow and the white (I thinks white) wire. Anyway try jumping the two larger wires on the large blue relay connected to the pass. side fender. It got mine to crank for the time being until I figure out what the real problem is. Dont try it if you dont know what I am talking about.

[Rb25_s13]

try and see if it bump starts

[Kalypso]

My car had the same problem and it turned out to be related with the large blue double relay in the stock battery location area. I used a jumper wire and jumped the the black and yellow and the white (I thinks white) wire. Anyway try jumping the two larger wires on the large blue relay connected to the pass. side fender. It got mine to crank for the time being until I figure out what the real problem is. Dont try it if you dont know what I am talking about.

I probably shouldn't - but thank you

someone told me on another forum that, the ground from the starter goes to the transmission. I hooked my starter ground - from the lower wiring harness and that may be my mistake.

first I am going to check that, and next I and going to connect my battery to the starter - then from the starter to the fuse box. so that it gets direct current.

either of those should solve my problems but it is finals week. and graduation this weekend

[Kalypso]

I got it to crank by hooking up the battery cable and the fuse block cable direct to the solenoid prong

it was nice to hear it crank for the first time.

but I am bypassing the ignition and I have to figure out why it wont work normally