<--- Still in need of help

[Guest Pegasus76]

Ok, I bought a new battery, swapped out the starter twice, changed the postive and the negative cable....connected and recrimped the wires that connect to the starter and I STILL don't get a crank Everytime I turn the key I just get a *click* sound from the passenger side. *frustrated* I don't understand it...Whenever I came back during the spring (before I changed anything) I got it to crank and just let it run for a little bit. But when I get back for the summer it won't crank unless I turn the ignition key 20 times then I will get a crank then just a clicking noise after I keep turning the key. I wish one of you Z specialist were near by to take a look at the ole hybrid...Anyone know what's going on?

 

(I also tried the hammering and it didn't work)

[Guest 305240]

Get some DeOxit from Craig. (use google search and type in deoxit) Take apart your ignition assy. spray the DeOxit on the terminals and then work the switch back and forth. This should take care of any corrosion on the contacts. Z cars don't like to set. They really have electrical issues when left alone for awhile. Also, have you checked/changed the solonoid?

[80LS1T]

So are you getting one click when you turn the key or multiple fast clicks when you turn the key?

 

 

Guy

[Guest Pegasus76]

I only get one click whenever I turn the key, I changed the starter/solenoid (Solenoid is attached to the starter)

[80LS1T]

Ok heres another thought, did you reinstall the shims for the starter after you replaced it with this new one? Probably not the problem though.

 

Try pulling the starter off the engine by taking out the 2 mounting bolts and see if it turns over with out it connected to the engine. Thats what I would do next. This would tell you if the starter is trying to turn over the engine but the engine itself wont let it.

 

 

Here's some more info for trouble shooting a "NO CRANKING CONDITION"

Slow or Not Cranking

 

When trouble develops in the starter motor circuit, and the starter cranks the engine slowly or not at all, several preliminary checks can be made to determine whether the trouble lies in the battery, in the starter, in the wiring between them, or elsewhere. Many conditions besides defects in the starter itself can result in poor cranking performance.

To make a quick check of the starter system, turn on the headlights. They should burn with normal brilliance. If they do not, the battery may be run down.

If the battery is in a charged condition so that lights burn brightly, operate the starter motor. Any one of three things will happen to the lights: (1) They will go out, (2) dim considerably or (3) stay bright without any cranking action taking place.

 

If Lights Go Out

If the lights go out as the starter switch is closed, it indicates that there is a poor connection between the battery and starter motor. This poor connection will most often be found at the battery terminals. Correction is made by removing the cable clamps from the terminals, cleaning the terminals and clamps, replacing the clamps and tightening them securely. A coating of corrosion inhibitor (petroleum jelly will do) may be applied to the clamps and terminals to retard the formation of corrosion.

 

If Lights Dim

If the lights dim considerably as the starter switch is closed and the starter operates slowly or not at all, the battery may be run down, or there may be some mechanical condition in the engine or starter motor that is throwing a heavy burden on the starter motor. This imposes a high discharge rate on the battery which causes noticeable dimming of the lights.

Check the battery state of charge. If it is charged, the trouble probably lies in either the engine or starter motor itself. In the engine, tight bearings or pistons or heavy oil place an added burden on the starter motor. Low temperatures also hamper starter motor performance since it thickens engine oil and makes the engine considerably harder to crank and start. Also, a battery is less efficient at low temperatures.

In the starter motor, a bent armature, loose pole shoe screws or worn bearings, any of which may allow the armature to drag, will reduce cranking performance and increase current draw.

In addition, more serious internal damage is sometimes found. Thrown armature windings or commutator bars, which sometimes occur on over-running clutch drive starter motors, are usually caused by excessive overrunning after starter. This is the result of such conditions as the driver keeping the starter switch closed too long after the engine has started, the driver opening the throttle too wide in starting, or improper carburetor fast idle adjustment. Any of these subject the over-running clutch to extra strain so it tends to seize, spinning the armature at high speed with resulting armature damage.

Another cause may be engine backfire during cranking which may result, among other things, from ignition timing being too far advanced.

To avoid such failures, the driver should pause a few seconds after a false start to make sure the engine has come completely to rest before another start is attempted. In addition, the ignition timing should be checked if engine backfiring has caused the trouble.

 

Lights Stay Bright; No Cranking Action

This condition indicates an open circuit at some point, either in the starter itself, the starter switch or control circuit. The solenoid control circuit can be eliminated momentarily by placing a heavy jumper lead across the solenoid main terminals to see if the starter will operate. This connects the starter directly to the battery and, if it operates, it indicates that the control circuit is not functioning normally. The wiring and control units must be checked to locate the trouble.

If the starter does not operate with the jumper attached, it will probably have to be removed from the engine so it can be examined in detail.

 

And some info on checking circuits for the starting system...

Checking Circuit With Voltmeter

 

Excessive resistance in the circuit between the battery and starter will reduce cranking performance. The resistance can be checked by using a voltmeter to measure voltage drop in the circuits while the starter is operated. There are three checks to be made:

 

 

Voltage drop between car frame and grounded battery terminal post.

Voltage drop between car frame and starter motor field frame.

Voltage drop between insulated battery terminal post and starter motor terminal stud, or the battery terminal stud of the solenoid.

Each of these should show no more than one-tenth (0.1) volt drop when the starter motor is cranking the engine. Do not use the starter for more than 30 seconds at a time to avoid overheating it.

If excessive voltage drop is found in any of these circuits, make correction by disconnecting the cables, cleaning the connections carefully, and then reconnecting the cables firmly in place. A coating of petroleum jelly on the battery cables and terminal clamps will retard corrosion.

On some cars, extra long battery cables may be required due to the location of the battery and starter. This may result in somewhat higher voltage drop than the above recommended 0.1 volt. The only means of determining the normal voltage drop in such cases is to check several of these vehicles. Then when the voltage drop is well above the normal figure for all cars checked, abnormal resistance will be indicated and correction can be made as already explained.

 

 

Guy

[Guest tony78_280z]

I bet either the battery is dead (try charging it even if it is new) or it's not hooked up tight. Check both bat cables to besure they are secure then check your body and engine grounds. And be sure you got all the wires hooked up tight to the selenoid. The "Click" or "Pop" noise I'm all to familiar with as I run down my battery cranking and starting my motor repeatedly as I work on this damn bad Carb.

 

If all your wires are good then try jumping power strait to the starter selenoid by crossing the pos and neg on the selenoid. Tricky to do, but if it spins the starter then you know the problem is not the selenoid.

 

How is your exhaust set up? If I change out my starter (it's new so I hope I never will need to) I gotta remove my header. NOT looking forward to it if it ever goes bad.

[JoeinCA]

I had a similar problem when i first got my conversion going.

 

It also was taking out my fusible links in my 280Z.

 

I just wired a relay up to the S terminal, and used the S terminal wire to activate it. That may or may not solve your problem, but a relay is only about 5 bucks...

 

It isnt the most scientific method, but you could try hot wiring (batt to S terminal) it to see if this is the actual problem. just make sure to not use too small a wire... a screwdriver works too, but i prefer to have a wire connected to the S terminal and then hit the battery. I always got startled by it turning over when i used a screwdriver...

Joe.