Help!!! Car wont start and I need it as daily.

[ag240]

***Second updated***battery's dead.... i get it recharged and then it drains it all over again.

***Update***Car starts!!! ...but there is a minor problem. When ignition is in ACC position, none of the interior accessories function. The horn, Radio, auto seatbelts, and dome light do not work.

***Original Problem***

Short version: Car gets power, but doesnt start. It only started when i rolled to and popped the clutch. Starter is good, battery is good, fuses are good.

Long Verson:So today i went to my friends house and when i went to start my car, it didnt turn over. I checked the battery terminal connections, fuses, and tried again, nothing. Called a battery truck to jump me, but it didnt want to start. I had to roll it down the hill and pop the clutch to get it to start, and i got it home. I changed the starter thinking it was bad, but that didnt work. I need this car to go to school tomorrow, and im out of ideas. Please Help!!!

Modified by ag240 at 12:52 AM 5/29/2009

Modified by ag240 at 2:41 PM 5/31/2009
Modified by ag240 at 2:41 PM 5/31/2009

[RMerritts]

sounds like a bad ground to me, time to buy a test light.

[Two Fowty]

better buy a skateboard mayn

[ag240]

Any helpful tips, anyone?

[nissangirl74]

Do you know for sure that the battery is good? Did you take it and have it tested?

[ag240]

i didnt get it tested, but i know that it's good, i bought it less than a year ago, and it has enough power to turn on all of the interior electronics. All i need it to figure out why my starter isnt getting power. My car ran fine when we pushed started it, but it doesnt want to start.

[maj Andres]

Have your battery tested under load. And are you getting power to the solenoid on the starter? also check for a signal at small wire that is hooked on the starter.

[hilux30]

ok... here we go again about being detailed! does it crank but not fire? does it have battery power but don't crank? or it has neither??? what does exactly "not start" mean?? did you check that plastic tab that pushes the safety swith on the clutch pedal? if the tab broke off, nothing will push the switch and car wont crank. look under the dash where the clutch pedal is.

[89240SXCoupe]

had a similar problem with my rb20... turned out my main engine ground wasnt good. starter clicked, had power but never started, and could only push start it. bad ground for me was the thick block to chassis 2gauge wire.

[ag240]

ok... here we go again about being detailed! does it crank but not fire? does it have battery power but don't crank? or it has neither??? what does exactly "not start" mean?? did you check that plastic tab that pushes the safety swith on the clutch pedal? if the tab broke off, nothing will push the switch and car wont crank. look under the dash where the clutch pedal is.

Ok...The clutch pedal switch is spliced together, bypassing the switch, so that isnt the issue. The car doesnt want to start, as in theres no power goint to the starter to turn it over. When i turn the key, i hear a click from the fuse under the intake, but no start. I dont hear the starter clicking, or showing any signs of starting the engine. When we push started it, it ran strong. The battery is good, i know it for sure. Im beginning to think its a ground though.

[89240SXCoupe]

sounds like a bad starter then... if its getting power and all fuses are good but it doesnt even click... check all your grounds again and make sure the main one is grounded well.

[ag240]

i know it isnt a bad starter, i just replaced it a few hours ago. then i jumped it to see if it would crank. it did, so i know it's a good starter.

[maj Andres]

Have someone jump start you. If your able to start your car, then you found your problem....the battery.

[TheRealNap0le0n]

can none of you read.....

check your grounds... if its not even hitting the starter then i would say triple check your connections....

check to make sure you have battery power on the big lug on the starter and check to see if you have a signal going to the starter as well ( on the smaller wire ) when you turn the key to crank...

my car has an issue randomly where it will hit the starter but not crank... im just too lazy to check it... i keep hitting the key and eventually it will crank. The starter is new and the previous owner replaced the ign switch thinking it was the problem...

im sure my issue is a ground or something but again laziness....

[ag240]

Have someone jump start you. If your able to start your car, then you found your problem....the battery.

I had the AAA battery truck try to jump me, but it didnt work. we eventually just push started it to get it home. im goig to check grounds ryte now.

[maj Andres]

Right, you did say you got jumped.. my bad. Now when you say your starter is good, did you actually take it in to the auto parts store and have them actually test it? The way you say you tested isn't really the correct way. You might have a bad solenoid, the test that they run might show that. When I took my starter in to get it tested, they applied power to it and it turned but the test results say that it had a bad solenoid. Take it in if you haven't. While your at it might as well get your battery tested. Don't forget to check that signal going to the starter with a multimeter along with the power connection to make sure your getting your 12v dc.

[Wc240]

do you have any kinda tester? test light or volt meter? are you SURE theres power at the starter? and, i know it sounds stupid, make sure you have good, tight connections on your battery. if mine get barely bumbed, itll do the same as yours.

[ag240]

do you have any kinda tester? test light or volt meter? are you SURE theres power at the starter? and, i know it sounds stupid, make sure you have good, tight connections on your battery. if mine get barely bumbed, itll do the same as yours.

I have a multimeter. Well all my grounds are good and i made sure they were all tight. Im gonna find a way to get to school in the morning and work on this tomorrow. i'll try to get my starter and battery tested tomorrow as well.

[Wc240]

if everything checks out ok, and you have voltage where it needs to be, do a voltage drop while cranking

[ag240]

Quick question, would these also be the symptoms of a bad alternator?

New problems:Now none of the interior lights, gauge cluster, horn work. I dont even see the time in the little box under the RPM gauge.

If m alternator is bad, wouldn't that mean im not getting enough power to the starter causing it not to turn over?

[maj Andres]

If your still able to push start your car? if you can and it stays on, then your alternator is good. Use your multimeter and see if your getting 12v at your battery. Tested that battery along with the starter at the auto parts store yet?

[mr_mundo]

Truthfully starters can go week and not have enough power to crack the car.. If it push starts and stays on good alternater.. Battery check for free autozone.. Ground wires on a 240 easy and if there is any corrosion it can cause problems... But truthfully sounds like a starter i would take the starter off check the wires make sure there not corroded and if its your daily driver just make sure to always park on a hill...

[ag240]

I got it started, it's good now!

Ok heres how it went down. i took the starter and battery to get it tested, both were good. so i searched on Nico for about an hour and i got a few solutions. i tried replacing the starting relay, but that didnt work. so i finally resorted to taking off the steering column, and i jiggled the wires a bit, and bam it fired up.... so the whole time the problem was a loose wire in my ignition switch.

The only problem i face now is that when my car is off, none of my ACC interior works. No dome light, no radio, and my headlights dont come on.

[ag240]

None of my electronics work no more. but the car starts. anyone got a solution?

[Wc240]

wiring diagram and a meter. Re-trace everything

[ag240]

FSM? i'll get on that in a second.

[ZOMG.SR20]

umm im surprised noone told you to check your ACC fuse..... or interior fuse lol

[Heem]

HELP??? You think you need help , , , , look at this guy!



"Don't even go there, you don't need the negative karma."

[ZOMG.SR20]

HELP??? You think you need help , , , , look at this guy!



"Don't even go there, you don't need the negative karma."

not needed

[NismoZRS]

Sorry i really havent read all the posts..

My Input: Check the Distributer/cap.. look for any wear around it and see if its tight.. ive come acrossed a couple people in parking lots.. and just tighten the cap itself

but again.. im in a hurry so i havent read too much of this thread, dont flame me if its been stated