94 sc sometimes no wanna start

Miller

Registered User
I know this has been gone over a million times, but I dont remember any kinda solution.

Someeeeeeeetimes, the car just wont crank. it will click, but not crank. once and a while it wont click.... By the under hood fuse box, there is the connector where the wire goes over to the starter to enguage it. I put my meter on it, and when it wouldnt start, its only seeing 9v. If I put a jumper wire from the megafuse nut, to the wire ( with the key forward ) the car cranks and starts right up.

I am wondering if this would be an ignition switch problem, even tho it turns over meaning the ignition is completing that circuit ? or is there a bad connection somewhere ? I feel like a dope when I have to hotwire my car in the 7-11 parkinglot to get it to start.
 
when It does it again, put a meter into the wire going down to the starter. see if your getting low voltage there like I am. It happens to me mostly when the car is hot and I shut it off and want to start it back up again. I havent traced that wire back into the car yet to see where it goes, but maybe I will do that so we can figure this out finally. :rolleyes:
 
Have you checked to make sure the battery connections are clean and tight, get the post and inside of terminals shiny and make sure they're good and tight. My car did the same thing once and thats all it was. Easiest and cheapest check to do
 
when It does it again, put a meter into the wire going down to the starter. see if your getting low voltage there like I am. It happens to me mostly when the car is hot and I shut it off and want to start it back up again. I havent traced that wire back into the car yet to see where it goes, but maybe I will do that so we can figure this out finally. :rolleyes:

have you checked your coolant, thermostat and oil levels??
 
On the starter itself are two wires---the big one from the battery and a small one with a push-on connector-----that little bugger can cause fits if its got corrosion on it or if its been hot enough to lose it's tension and not grip the terminal tightly---clean both crimp the ends a little and apply some grease to keep the corrosion down---that little bugger costed me two tow jobs before I found it.....Dan
 
Have you checked to make sure the battery connections are clean and tight, get the post and inside of terminals shiny and make sure they're good and tight. My car did the same thing once and thats all it was. Easiest and cheapest check to do

I was going to tell you to do this too Newbie. My 5 speed was acting up and the positive cable lug on inside is pretty bad. The battery post is ok but the lug wasn't. I have to check my black car too. I never take the positive off so it may be corroded.
 
I have had the issue with the starter solenoid, on this current car and my last SC.
Every few days I would have to use a screwdriver to hot wire it from the posts. Then it became more frequent so I just replaced it. Was $40 for a new one. Works great now!
 
I have had the issue with the starter solenoid, on this current car and my last SC.
Every few days I would have to use a screwdriver to hot wire it from the posts. Then it became more frequent so I just replaced it. Was $40 for a new one. Works great now!

The 94-95s are a little differnt. Unfortunatly we can't jump terminals like that. If mine keeps acting up I plan to do a solenoid setup like the older cars.
 
It is not the connection on that terminal. I am testing that wire for voltage, up by the megafuse where the alt wire goes to. When it isnt starting, the terminal isnt seeing the 12v. If i turn the key forward and go and put a jumper between the bolt oin the mega fuse, and that wire, it cranks and starts up instantly.
 
I thought Ricardo found that if you put a shim between the starter it lets it engage better. Maybe there isnt enough voltage and space to let the teeth engage. I know I've gone thru 3 starters and was stuck in the middle of nowhere in Va with this problem mine usually happens after a drive while its still warm
 
yep, mine does it mostly when its hot after a nice drive.

dear ricardo, is this the truttttttttttth
 
Putting a shim between the starter and transmission doesn't work the same as block mounted starters. The mounting surface is parallel to the teeth of the flyweel. Clean all of the cable's connections. Then make sure that the starter solenoid's terminals aren't loose. Also, a lot of starters are put together with little-to-no lubrication. They work better when lubricated.

Edit: Reman starters have a revision for the factory wiring since the factory ignition switch wire to the starter has a poor connection. A way to fix that is to convert that push on connector to a stud terminal end and fasten with a nut.
 
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Rico did do the shim and we haven't heard anymore problems out of his, but I don't think it is running right now or wasn't running cause of the winter.

I did use the shim and it didn't help.

The nutted terminal end didn't help me either.
 
I think I may just run a jumper to those wires with a momentary switch inside the car, so that whenever it dosent start, I can just make it happen .
 
Well I was looking at mine tonight. Checking all the connections. And I have this to ask anyone that has this problem. Do you have or have had an alarm on the car? If so check the starter interupt circuit. I don't know if this will fix my problem but I have a good feeling it will. All other connections were good and clean, but I cleaned them anyway.

The starter solenoid circuit is a red with blue strip wire from the ignition switch thru the round connector top driver side, to a connector below the engine compartment fuse box. Then from that connector in the loom that goes under the oil filter over to the starter.

I suggest soldering the wires where you splice in for the starter interupt.
 
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On the starter itself are two wires---the big one from the battery and a small one with a push-on connector-----that little bugger can cause fits if its got corrosion on it or if its been hot enough to lose it's tension and not grip the terminal tightly---clean both crimp the ends a little and apply some grease to keep the corrosion down---that little bugger costed me two tow jobs before I found it.....Dan
Ditto.. what old coot said :D
 
So, I got tired of hot-wiring my starter every couple starts. I put a jumper from the starter fuse, to a bush button, then to the solonoid wire. so every time i start my car now, I turn the key forward, and push a button.

FIXED ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
image.jpg
 
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