HELP: 90 240SX w/ NO Start Problem for Years!

[pgtrr]

Help 90 240SX w/ no start problem for years!

1990 240SX SE w/ KA24E motor and 5 speed - very clean, stock and all original (including the owner).

For years now I've had a highly intermittent no starter CRANK problem. It can go weeks, sometimes months and once almost an entire year without any incident. When it happens you turn the key to the start position and nothing. Try again and it fires up. Or hold the key in the start position and wait ... couple seconds and voila. Lately however it's taking multiple tries (8-12) WHEN it occurs. Because it's impossible for me to consistently reproduce the problem or identify any pattern or commonality to conditions it's been a real tough one to chase down. That's why I've been trying to identify it for about 4 or maybe 5 years now.

Q: Are there any known 'gotchas' or 'common' issues in the starter electrical subsystem that others might suggestion?

Q: Perhaps a known hidden connector that is prone to corrosion? Or a fusible link prone to fail? Other?

Because of the highly intermittent nature of my problem I have literally been chasing the issue for years. In fact I've thought on several occasions to have fixed it and indeed have gone as many as 9 or 10 months without a single incident making me think I had at last fixed it when it pops up again... Yet at other times it happens multiple times in a single week or once a month - statistically it's all over the place. I'm not seeing any pattern in weather, temperature etc. Particularly concerning now is that it's sometimes taking many more tries than it used to.

History:

I by-passed the clutch switch years ago and drove it for a while - the problem occurred proving the clutch switch wiring was OK.

At some point the battery got weak a while back and has since been replaced - problem still occurs.

I found a loose bolt on the solenoid post - ahah! That must have been it. I snugged up the loose battery cable bolt on the starter and didn't have a problem for many months - but it returned.

Found the beginning of corrosion around the POS battery cable at the time I replaced the battery - I eventually put in brand new battery cables throughout. No start again a few months later.

I also have pulled the starter motor twice and bench tested it until my thumb grew tired on the remote switch - I've never once been able to reproduce the problem on the bench. As I recall it's the Hitachi type starter motor FWIW.

Noticing a relay in the starter circuit and having had relays on other cars behave intermittently like this I bought a new starter relay from Nissan figuring what the heck - surely this was it - nope - still happens.

Now that when it occurs - I can actually get a 'window' of multiple occurances, last time I was able to get an assistant to actually try and start the car multiple times while I listened around - the relay was clicking each time. This would suggest there is no problem with either the switch at the key cylinder in the steering column or the wiring at least between the key and the relay. But then the car starts cranking and I don't have any further way to 'debug'.

So this brings us to today. Despite not being able to reproduce the problem on the bench I'm planning to purchase a new (rather expensive) starter motor and solenoid. The solenoid by itself is about the same price so I'll likely go for the entire starter/solenoid together at about the same price. I hate throwing money at this and am grasping at increasingly expensive straws at this point.

Appreciate any input that might lead me to a common or known solution to the same problem - thanks!

[jdefelic]

After everything you have tested/replaced the only thing i can think of is maybe a bad/corroded connection to the starter or starter solenoid. Maybe the ground? If it was the ground or positive cable to the starter this would explain why you can't get the problem to repeat when you bench tested the starter. I'd try cleaning both ends of all cables running to the starter.

My KA24E had a starter problem like this which ended up being a corroded ground. It wouldn't have connection then all of the sudden it would.

[Rucca]

Why have you not questioned your ignition switch? Rockauto.com is selling them at closeout for 20bucks

Why replace a starter? Haven't you proven that it works flawlessly?

[azn_b110]

I'VE OWNED 3 240SX AND I RAN INTO A CLOSE SITUATION IT WOULD START AND I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AND THEN IT STOP WORKING. I FOUND THAT THE STARTER AND THE FLYWHEEL ARE FINALLY WEARING OUT SO IT NOT CRANKING THE ENGINE AND THAT IGNITION WHERE THE KEY GOES IN IS WEARING DOWN NOT MAKING CONTACT TO START TOO. HOPEFULLY IT HELPS

[pgtrr]

After everything you have tested/replaced the only thing i can think of is maybe a bad/corroded connection to the starter or starter solenoid. Maybe the ground? If it was the ground or positive cable to the starter this would explain why you can't get the problem to repeat when you bench tested the starter. I'd try cleaning both ends of all cables running to the starter.

My KA24E had a starter problem like this which ended up being a corroded ground. It wouldn't have connection then all of the sudden it would.

I agree and that was one of my earliest thoughts too - I cleaned all the cables and since replaced them. Currently ALL the cables (POS and GND) are new with shiney crimped ends as are all the fasteners. The POS connector on the solenoid is nice and clean too - a good bright copper color.

I'VE OWNED 3 240SX AND I RAN INTO A CLOSE SITUATION IT WOULD START AND I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AND THEN IT STOP WORKING. I FOUND THAT THE STARTER AND THE FLYWHEEL ARE FINALLY WEARING OUT SO IT NOT CRANKING THE ENGINE AND THAT IGNITION WHERE THE KEY GOES IN IS WEARING DOWN NOT MAKING CONTACT TO START TOO. HOPEFULLY IT HELPS

Yes but the starter motor (and solenoid) is silent - it does nothing on these occasions, no spinning, grinding - nada.

Thanks everyone for your comments!

[pgtrr]

Why have you not questioned your ignition switch? Rockauto.com is selling them at closeout for 20bucks

Why replace a starter? Haven't you proven that it works flawlessly?

The reason I hadn't questioned the ignition switch is that I've heard a subtle clicking (NOT the starter solenoid) from the engine when moving from the RUN to the START position - I've been presuming that was the starter relay but perhaps it could have been another relay unrelated.

What's frustrating is that short of completely bypassing something - I can't 100% prove it's flawless in an intermittent situation. I can prove it's worked 100 times in a row on the bench. But who's to say that 101st time it might have done nothing? Everything else I've either bypassed or replaced and had the problem manifest itself. But yeah - I'd just as soon NOT replace this rather pricey and to me seemingly good starter motor.

But for $20 it's a no brainer to try your suggestion at this point.

I like the suggestion and appreciate the $20 recommendation - How hard is it to get to the ignition switch inside the column and replace???