Wont start....please HELP!!!

89SCK@t

Registered User
guys and girls,


i know this might sound dumb...but my cougar wont start...it hasnt since saturday morning, and its in a somewhat bad part of town...

i traded batteries with another person, my battery worked fine in her car, and the starter is just going *click* once, with both batteries...yes, my foot is to the floor with the clutch pedal...i was having a problem where it wouldnt start on the first try, not flooding wise, but like i said, *click*, take my foot off the clutch, put the clutch to the floor again and it would start...would it possibly be the relay?? im stumped...ive never had a car that had a relay between the clutch pedal and the starter...if i can call it that...can i delete it??

thanks in advance,

stephen...
 
hey hey... i have kinda the same problem with my AOD. But mines is the Starter relay located next to the fuse box inside the hood of the car. the wire is either lose or the relay is gonna just give up on me. I have to get out the car .. jiggle it around and it will start. I dont hear a click on mine but when i jiggle it around it starts. Dont know. Try pulling codes out of it.
 
Sound like a bad starter selenoid (relay) on the left fender wall..

Although a bad cable from the selenoid to the starter or bad connections on that cable could do the same. Make sure those connections are tight.
I don't think you'd hear the selenoid click if the neutral switch was bad or disconnected. So, if the cable is good and connections tight, you're left with a bad selenoid.

Lee
 
Re: Sound like a bad starter selenoid (relay) on the left fender wall..

rivlee said:
Although a bad cable from the selenoid to the starter or bad connections on that cable could do the same. Make sure those connections are tight.
I don't think you'd hear the selenoid click if the neutral switch was bad or disconnected. So, if the cable is good and connections tight, you're left with a bad selenoid.

Lee

sooo...where exactly is the selenoid on the fender wall?? is it labeled? if it is bad..how much would it cost to fix? i will check to make sure that the connections are all tight...is there any way i can delete it??

i still can push start it...
 
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i would replace the starter or check the battery terminals again
i work in a shop and on the latemodel t birds ive seen mostly the brushes wear out in the starter
 
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Looks like this

(without cables)

BTW: This is not meant to start a fire, but I just realized that after over 100K on it, my '90 still has the original starter.
 

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umm..

i was searching through my box of original parts...and i found that my starter has been replaced...i dont know when, but it has, the previous owner replaced it...i think im like 2 grand from 180,000 on my car...so it might not be my starter...

stephen
 
3 starters here...

I have 103K on my 90SC 5spd and have gone through 3 starters since I bought it in 93.

My 90SC did somthing similar to what you describe. Changed the starter and the prob was fixed. I tried the lil relay first "The round piece on the fender"

Good luck


Brad
 
Before you go dump a pile of $$ into parts that may or may not fix the problem, crawl under the car by the starter and clean the small wire spade/tab connector and be sure its tight. Then give it a try.. if nothing happens, try hammering on the starter some.

When did you last clean the battery posts and cable clamps with steel wool? Too much oxidation on the posts will result in insufficient current to turn the starter.
 
crawl under the car by the starter and clean the small wire spade/tab connector and be sure its tight. Then give it a try.. if nothing happens, try hammering on the starter some.

that is exactly what my father said. i didnt know that hammering on a starter would make it somewhat better...

I am picking the car up today, i have to bump start it...i just want to get it home, then ill go from there...thanks for the reply guys! now i just hope my car isnt on blocks....:(
 
Trouble-shooting is a process of eliminating possibilities.

I figured that if you replaced the battery, that the battery connections would be good. That left the selenoid, starter and their cables/connections.

If you checked/tightened those connections, then the next step would be the selenoid. If you short the big terminals on the selenoid the starter should turn. If it does, it's the selenoid. If it doesn't, it's the starter. Starters usually fail due to the shaft front bushing wearing away from the flywheel until it's egg shaped inside and the windings short.

I suggested replacing the selenoid since it's cheap and easy to replace.

Lee
 
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