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Starter going "click" even with new battery


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My 260Z is having starting issues. If I turn the key ... I hear click, however if I do that 4 or 5 times, it will eventually enguage and start. If I drop a postive wire directly to the starter wire under the hood ... it turns right over. The battery is new. Where should I look next

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Bad ground.

 

I second that!

pull the starter off and clean with a wire brush the suface of the tranny where the starter touches, and clean the starter where it touches the tranny. the starter doesn't have a ground wire, it grounds through the drivetrain.

 

also make sure you have a suficent engine ground wire.

 

hope this helped!

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I have temporaly hooked up a button ... so I turn the ignition on, and push the button to start the car. The button simply runs power directly from the battery to the started. Since this seems to solve the problem, does this mean my igntion switch is going bad.

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The ignition switch only engages the solenoid, not the voltage going to the starter. That voltage goes through the solenoid. Sound like your solenoid is shot. That click you hear is the solenoid engaging but it sounds like the contacts that pass the voltage through are gone. Most parts stores can test the whole starter for you.

 

I have temporaly hooked up a button ... so I turn the ignition on, and push the button to start the car. The button simply runs power directly from the battery to the started. Since this seems to solve the problem, does this mean my igntion switch is going bad.
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Hi, sounds to me like you either need a new ignition electrical thing behind the ignition switch or a new ignition relay that is located before fuse box on passenger side. I have both parts new for a 260z if you are interested. I sold my 260 and these were spares that I never used. I believe that the relay is no longer being produced. Pm me if interested or you could just use your pushbutton if you prefer.

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I just went through this yesterday. cleaned all electrical and tested starter. It actualy passed the test, but the tech could not believe it. the gears looked worn and it was smoking. Insert new starter and it wakes up everytime. 29.95 and a 10.00 core at checker.

 

10 min job max. 2 14 mm bolts to hold the starter and an 12mm on the old starter and a 14mm on the new starter for the wires.

 

jimbo

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I was having that problem yesterday after we re-installed the gas tank. We ended up cleaning all the terminals and it still wouldn't engage the starter, just the solenoid. So we checked it by connecting it to the truck battery with jumpers and it worked fine.

 

So we replaced the battery and it will now turn over but the car won't start. We think that it has something to do with the fuel pump or something since the car started up and ran fine before the gas tank came off. Does anyone have any ideas on what it might be?

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At this point you could have a combination of problems. When my starter went I thought the new battery fixed it, but it really only masked it for a while.

The reason it won't start might be something you hooked up wrong when you put the tank back it. Are you getting fuel at the engine? I assume you can hear the pump running.

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OK now I am really confused. If I am able to bypass all the selenoids by hooking up a button (mounted next to my ignition) that supplies direct power to the starter selenoid (The big round one mounted on the starter) ... and the car starts everytime this way without the clicking noise ... would'nt that mean that my problem has to be somewhere in between the igntion and the starter?

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Unless the starter selenoid is needing more power than the 1974 electrical system can supply (hence I hear the clicking) ... and the new wires and button are flowing electricity amps better ... I suppose a new starter and selenoid that needs less amps could cure the issue. I'll pull the starter and have it checked before hunting for something else.

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You circuit should look something like this:

circuit.JPG

If your switch is on the top terminal (where the battery normally hooks) of the soleniod you might have other issues. But if it is connected staight to the motor your solenoid is probably bad,

BYW have you inspected the cable going from the battery to the solenoid? A loose or dirty connector can cause a huge lose of current.

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  • 1 year later...

I am building a turbo 77 and just installed a reman gear reduction ZXT starter, and got the "click" no crank effect. I pulled the signal wire off the blade connector on the solenoid and get 12V with the ignition key in start. However, when I reconnect the spade connector and check voltage during "start", it can only muster up about 8.8V. So I took apart the ignition relay and cleaned the contacts....still no better than 9V. I replaced the frontmost/left fusible link and then I was up to 9.2V...still not enough. Then I jumped out the ignition switch with a jumper wire....9.5V and still nothing but a click. I traced all the wires with my meter and got no resistance (at low current of course). Then I took my mongo screwdriver and jumped the 12V post on the solenoid to the signal spade on the solenoid....a big spark and then a "CLICK"...still no starter spin. FU...the reman starter is heading back to the auto parts store. I installed the old, '77 original starter temporarily, and it cranks great, every time! :rolleyes:

 

Not sure about this but I think either Nissan under-wired the start circuit, compounded with years of corrosion; or newer solenoids require more power than the old ones...or both.

Edited by cygnusx1
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Zcars are notorious for this issue, especially 260Zs which tend to have these problems most often. I solved the low voltage issue by installing a Bosch-style 30A relay between the ignition switch and solenoid. So now I have a relay triggering a relay (solenoid) which then triggers the starter.

 

The PO wired in a button (shorting all gauges and signals in the process) which did start the car every time, but when I restored the wiring back to original I'd get the 5-20 clicks then start. The relay solved that problem and it's small in size so it can be eaily mounted close by the battery. This process is well documented if you search google.

 

I seem to remember someone tracing ignition wires and totaling up their length to 44 feet of wire or so. Over the years, connectors corrode, resistance builds and voltage drops. Meticulously cleaning every connector might work, but I took the easy way out. Of course, a crappy starter is a different story...

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  • 6 years later...

I know that this is an old thread. But I had the same problem and knew it wasn’t the starter or solenoid as I had replaced them recently and the old one tested good  

Cleaned up the ground wire connection to the fender wall opposite the starter solenoid. This was rusty  on my car- I cleaned the ring terminal, the lock-washer (do any other washer) and the bolt threads with a wire brush.

Then I cleaned the spade terminals to the solenoid and replaced the brass T-connector that hooks both female connections  to the male terminal on the solenoid.   Re-terminate them if they are loose or beyond hope.

Problem is gone for a $2 part.  Doorman 85412.  Use the part pictured or the one that matches what’s on you solenoid. 

If it isn’t your starter and isn’t your solenoid, then do this first. I was chasing around looking for other wiring problems and should have checked these connections. I suspect adding the direct ‘relay’ is sometimes just cleaning up this connection, when other loom problems from the ignition key switch aren’t to blame. 

7F4B0A58-A7B3-4E26-A498-4D19DF28059C.jpeg

Edited by Firepower
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