Starting Issue on 92 S13

[riu]

Hey I've never posted here in the 240SX section, I've previously only been on the Z32 and VH45 forums on NICO. I've come across a problem that I can't figure out how to solve. It seems like an electrical issue and I'm not so good with electronics.

Here's the basic information.

92 240SX SE Super HICAS
227000 Miles
Daily Driven

Only mod is AEM Intake

Last oil change: 3500 miles ago.
Last work done: Remove EGR to clean and reinstall EGR, 800 miles ago.

Bad power steering leak, haven't tracked down the leak source yet. Probably a high pressure hose, power steering fluid sprays around the area near the reservoir and pump and leaks down around the entire drivers front side of the engine bay. I go through about a quart of ATF fluid a week. But that's not really an issue to me right now.

The Problem.

The car won't start. The starter won't even turn.
My initial assumption was that the starter went out, so I purchased some used starters on EBAY and installed one. I turn the ignition and the exact same result. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENS.
I decide to finally actually test out the starters, and each starter I have works when connected to the battery.

We test the solenoid with a test light and a volt meter, there is power going to it when we turn the ignition, 11.7 volts. we check all the fuses and relays with the test light and every thing looks good. There is a lot of power steering spray all over the drivers front relay box, we take it off and clean it and check for corrosion, but it all looks good.

We hotwire it with a wire directly to the solenoid and it starts the car right up. But that obviously wouldn't be a viable solution on a daily driver.

We run a bypass on both clutch switches, still nothing.

We take apart the column and test all the ignition wires, it all tests positive.

Every individual element seems to be working, but it doesn't fire up!

Any thoughts?

[xxmisfits1]

... same problem i am having, you ever figure out what was going on?

[riu]

Pretty sure it's a bad ground for the ignition switch. I never ended up buying a replacement to try it out. I was in a bind and needed the car to run so I could get to work and have been busy since.
We wired up a push button starter and I've been using that since.

[compactfean]

There aren't any grounds through the ignition switch. Also which wire were you testing when getting 12v? You should be testing the small wire when cranking (or trying to crank) and the more important thing to be trying for is amps. (you'd have to set your multimeter up for testing amp in series of the starter solenoid wire). To me it sounds like a bad ign switch (the electrical portion) an easy way to tell is to run the black/white stripe wire from the ignition switch straight to the starter and if your car doesn't start than you know it is ign switch.

[riu]

I was testing the connector to the solenoid from the harness when turning the ignition.

[compactfean]

Well if bypassing it with a wire and push button works, than there is clearly an amperage issue. Id say ign switch isn't providing the current needed to trigger the solenoid.

[PhopsonNY]

Check out my post to this exact problem

sr20det-hard-to-start-when-hot-solved-f ... 63479.html