Okay guys, sounds like we are getting somewhere.

I just bought a light tester the other day for my Bimmer. I'll try checking that switch. If there is a way to check the clutch locking switch... I'll do that too.

Btw... I don't mind not having the clutch switch... I always always depress the clutch when starting and always always mak sure it's in nutral. Especially when I valet or anyone else drives my car... I hate it when they leave it in gear.

Thanks guys... I'll keep you all posted.

 

it sounds to me like a bad starter solnoid, i have a jeep that has a bad solnoid and i have to tap the starter sometimes to get it to crank, i recently took the starter off and took it completely apart and man was it dirty (i go off road) and was causing a bad connection, after i cleaned it and greased it all up and reassmbled it i havent had any problems since.


here is a test for you, when it doesnt want to start (make 100% positive its in nuetral) pull e brake up turn key on then open the hood and use a screw driver or something, there is 2 wires on the starter (dont take them off the starter) use the screw driver or what ever to touch the 2 plugs together, this jumps the starter and your car should start right up.

 

Have you guys actually worked on any of these?!! 9 times out of 10 the problem is the solonoid contacts. They become burnt with a bit of usage. There is a kit to repair that costs about $5 or $6. You can fix it without the kit if you are a little creative, but its not time vs. cost effective unless you're doin it for a friend or yourself. I've probably done fifty or seventyfive. You can disassemble the solonoid portion of the starter which works very similar to most GMs. You will notice the motor side contact is just about non-exsistent. The little kit comes with the new contact and misc small parts. I hope they are still available as I used to carry about a half a dozen in stock. If not, you can cut away the burned contact(cut, grind, etc.) and space it out with a small o-ring and flatwasher. TA DA. They work for another 150000 and cost almost nothing....except time. Good ideal to clean and put a little silicone lube in the usual spots. Ok. Anyone want to know how to make almost 200 FWHP using a bone stock 2.0 crv block, a v-tec 1.6 head(kind of reworked), and a friendly tune up. N/A. No boost. Can do. The guy at EIP didn't believe it either....till he ran it a second time after he looked for a nitros unit.

 

When the contacts are bad you will hear a click or clunk from the starter but it won't turn. That's not the only reason for a starter to click and not turn, but as 94 and tjoy said, it's very common.

If you hear nothing at all from the starter, something else is wrong. You will hear little clicks from under the dash when turning the key in any case (unless there is absolutely no power from the battery), but the noise from the starter is louder.

 

I have been lurking on this post and other posts around the web that seem to have this exact same problem. I also have it. All the same symptoms and nothing I have "fixed" has worked to solve the problem. If the problem is like mine, I believe the starter is fine. When I turn the ignition key, the starter does not make any sound what-so-ever.

What I have marked off as possibilities are: CIS, main relay, battery. And from there I have no clue.

From what I have read about the several problems around the web, is that it is always hot. But what wiring could be losing conductivity do to heat? and then regaining it in 10-15 minutes?

 

Personally, I don't like the clutch start safety switch, because I wouldn't be able to put the car in 1st and crank the starter to get my car off the road if the engine should go out while I'm driving. When I had a Tacoma, it came with a clutch start cancel switch which allowed me to do just that - put it in 1st and crank the starter to get the truck off the road, not that I ever had to use that feature to do that, but it was there if I ever needed it.

Back to the topic, the first thing I would check is the ignition coil. I had a '90 Civic that would do exactly as you're describing. Turned out to be the ignition coil.

 

Oh, if it was the ignition coil, the starter would not wind at all.

 

Hey Guys,

My apologies for leaving this up and not posting the solution.

It turns out, that the problem was NON of the above... Go figure. It was actually a faulty connection with my car alarm. Once the car alarm was suspected, I had it removed and I haven't had a problem with it since. Talk about a curve ball. My mechanic checked all the things everyone mentioned and couldn't figure it out, until he accidentally saw that I had a bad connection on my alarm switch. What a pain, but she starts every time I drive her now. Thanks everyone for all your input.

I don't know if this would solve anyone else's problem, but if you're having trouble finding the culprit... Try the alarm, if you've got one of course.

Cheers!

 

well it looks like I'm going to thread jack haha


I do not have an alarm system, factory or aftermarket, so that is out of the question.


Next move?

 

faulty connection to the car alarm? id check and retrace that wiring whoever installed the car alarm. they might of added relays to disable the starter or did something to the alarm to make it act as a immobilizer.

because the metal expands and contracts during temperatures. thats one of the main failures for the main relay. the solder expands and creates a intermittent connection and sometimes it wont operate the fuel pump. and yeah the solenoid if its dirty inside their can be other parts on the contact rotor that arnt. not to mention the rotor has a brush assembly and is dirty as ****. id recommend taking it apart but it requires bending a metal lip to get to its guts (hollow metal cylindral shell with its end lip bent in once the insides are installed) this guys lucky. the starter on mine was getting so bad it was blowing the main 60AMP fuse on my crx.

if you can squish yourself up under the dash (remove the steering wheel to help) and disconnect the clutch safety switch, stick a jumper in the contacts and wrap it with tape or you can do like me, cut the ****er off and solder the wires together and seal with heatshrink. that switch annoys the crap outa me