dino not start

Main fuse on the firewall. Often overlooked. As you face forward, look in the engine compartment, it's on the right side top of the firewall. Has two fuses, if the one is burned out I think you still get instruments, but the car won't crank.


Starter itself may have quit, too. I had a ton of trouble with mine. I found that if I put the car in gear, engine off, and rocked it back and forth a litlle, I could sometimes get the starter to work. Finally broke down and put a modern starter in from Superformance. Haven't had a single problem since.

DM

 

Fuses in the firewall will have no impact on starting the car. They simply protect circuity to and from the alternator. The starter is activated by the heavy starter cable running directly from the battery to the starter lug. The solenoid is activated by a harness wire distant and unrelated to the firewall fuses.

Your symptoms speak to loose connections at the battery terminals. They may look tight, but oxidation on the lead contact surface will lead to high contact resistance. Simply remove the battery terminals and clean both the terminals and posts.

By the way, voltage throughout the electrical bus will be normal even if the terminals are loose or oxidized. A voltmeter reads open circuit voltage (no load). Hence, contact resistance does not effect open circuit voltage.

Finally, there is a spade connector on the solenoid that could come loose or oxidize over time. It is pretty easy to feel this with your hand from under the car (when at room temperature). You might wiggle this and make sure that it is snug (or pinch it with needle nose pliers to improve connection).

These are the most common failure points. You could have a completely dead solenoid (usually will click with key turn). You could have a bad contact within your ignition switch.

Jim S.

 

No, a silent solenoid speaks for lack of current. Solenoid failure is usually high-current contact failure, or shorting across the electromagnet coil leading to decreased pulling force. Both will provide an audible click. That you do not have a click speaks first to failure of current to get to the solenoid.

This is a bit contradictory to battery terminal as the culprit. A little current should make its way across the high contact resistance and try to activate the solenoid. Nonetheless, I have experienced a dead starting sequence that was resolved by cleaning the battery terminals. Do your lights go on?? Do they dim when you activate the momentary ignition switch (start position)? Horn make noise?? All of these are relay operated with relatively (compared to starter) low ampere requirements. If these loads work correctly, the battery terminals could be the culprit. Furthermore, and most important, this is easy to check and fix. All the other potential failure modes get more involved.

Jim S.

 

All of the current from the battery goes through the ampmeter. So it is important the terminals are clean and tight and that the ampmeter is in good condition. I know as I chased this gremlin until I was suicidal.
Good luck,
Mark

 

Mark (justdriveit) -

Solenoid current passes through the ampmeter. Starter current does not.

MO - lights and horn work - good. Check and clean the terminals, hopefully you will have an early X-mas present.

Jim S.

 

Has happened to me but never without warning. Two times it was the starter cotacts on the ignition switch. The first time I replaced the switch. The second time I replaced the switch and put a diode across the starter solenoid. First time lasted 25,000 miles. Second has lasted 150,000 miles and still going strong. Try jumping the solenoid terminal to the battery terminal right at the solenoid and see if anythiing happens. Starter should turn the engine. If not, solenoid is bad. If does, switch or switch wiring is bad. Look into my old Sagas. When jumping to solenoid, use an old screwdriver and make sure the car is in neutral. There will be an arc when you jump. Good luck.
John