Help with starter removal

[obos]

I have a 95 240sx base model - Auto transmission with 115K. It seems my starter has died on me. Which is kinda strange because I haven't noticed any degredation in starting the car at all. The only thing that was starting to go bad was the engine would sometimes die after it started. But if I gased it a bit right after it started, it was fine. Right before it died, I just drove the car to the store and was returning to get my cell phone from my house. Turned the car off and ran inside the house. Came back out and turned the key and......nothing. Thought my battery was bad or something, but a jump wouldn't do anything. Not even a click. All electronics look OK. All fuses look OK.

Is there test I can do before fussing with it's removal? I read in a thread that I can attach a wire from the Power connector on the starter to the starter soleniod, however I'm not sure where the starter solenoid is. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I read that the removal of the starter on the auto transmission requires droppign the transmission. Is this true.

Unfortunately I still don't have a FSM, so I am still trying to find the upper bolt on the starter. Suggestions, info, anything would be nice. I just need to get my car running so I can go to work.

Thanks in advance

[benemorius]

You need to make sure there really aren't any clicks when you turn the key. If there really aren't, then your starter is not the problem. Have someone turn the key while you listen under the hood if you have to. You're going to be extremely pissed if you replace the starter only to find that it's a bad relay.

I could easily be wrong here, but I believe it is not entirely uncommon for the (the name of it has escaped me at the moment) switch that detects when it's in park to cause problems in auto 240's.

[obos]

Thanks for the response benemorius: At this point I think it's an electrical problem. Can you point me to the where these relay's or switches would be? I've checked the relays and fuses in the box behind the battery. They all look OK. Or maybe I'm testing them wrong.

After cleaning the battery terminals and reconnecting the power lead to the starter, the car actually started. However, after my wife turned the car off, I can't get it to start again. Must be a loose connection somewhere....Faulty relay....I don't know damn it! Where are other relays/switches?

[JDMEnthused]

you can trace them from the distributor back to the starter relay. check the plugs on the distributor to make sure everything is fitting down tight

good luck.

[benemorius]

You can try fiddling with the gear shift... move it in and out of park and see if that helps. I'm not sure exactly where the switch is off the top of my head. Also I believe the relay to check is a blue relay behind the right headlight just kind of tied in place against the engine compartment. Fiddle with that, too.