FClove86

So yesterday I tried to start up my 88 GXL to go for a cruise and ran into a new problem that, until this point, I have never seen as the car has been running great.

I got in the car and put the key in. All beeps, indicator lights, etc, working fine. Turned the key to hear a very quick single click noise and lose all power to what seems like everything. I checked battery power at 12.5v, my main 80a fuse in the engine bay was not open and I confirmed 12.5v in and out of it. I did a quick check of all fuses and found zero open circuits.

I did intermittently get power back while doing some checks, I don't know why or how, but was able to use the radio, horn, signals, etc but on turning the key ended up back at square one.

I've been scouring the forum for an FAQ with any info on something like this with no luck. Most problems I've seen people having seem to have some kind of feedback but in my case the car goes completely dead once I attempt a start.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys and gals.

satch

iTrader: (1)

Do you have to press the clutch to start the car? If so, then locate the main relay and check for voltage w/key to start and clutch depressed at the thicker of the two Black/Green wires. If it is not present then you interlock switch could be at fault or the voltage supplied to the ignition switch is poor among other things.

FClove86

I do have to press the clutch to start the car. I checked power at the clutch safety switch when I had lost power and it was not present. Then the power seems to come and go intermittently. What "main relay" are you referring to in your question?

satch

iTrader: (1)

The clutch switch and the interlock are not the same. Interlock has a Black/Red wire and a Black/Green wire. The thick B/G wire at the relay is this same wire. The relay is next to the trailing coil (relay has two plugs).

FClove86

Got it. I'll give it a check. Thank you.

FClove86

Alright Satch, checked the main relay/starter cut relay just now with the key to the start position and the clutch engaged and saw 11.5v at my B/g wire at the relay. But as usual once the ignition is turned I lost all signs of power at the dash and of course no starting. In setting the ignition back to off, my dash came back and got my safety beeps for the key being in the ignition with the door open.

Just for kicks I put my key to accessories and tried some features like popping up my lights, radio, etc and every time my dash would go dead. I'd lose all signs of power in the car, all lights and sounds gone. Funny enough by closing the door and opening it again my interior lights and beeps came back. I'm starting to wondering if my ignition may be faulty or somehow I ended up with a short somewhere. Any other ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help.

satch

iTrader: (1)

To clarify, I meant starter cut relay and not the main relay (sorry for that). Secondly, don't be worried about things dying w/key to start because there are fuses which cut power w/key to start so the amperage within the starting circuit can focus on starting the car and not things like lights, wipers, radio etc thus this would occur even in a properly operating automobile.

If you have just a clicking sound w/key to start and the starter does not engage then you could easily have an issue at the starter relay. Try jumpering the thick B/G wire to the Black/White wire in the same relay and it will circumvent/bypass the relay thus the voltage on the B/G wire goes directly to the starter. If that doesn't help then you have other issues. If the jumpering trick bares no fruit then look at the engine fuse box and focus on the main fuse. It receives voltage from the battery on that side of the fuse box and on the opposite side there is a Black cable connected to this fuse. The cable drops below the box by about a foot where it mates with a like Black cable. This cable powers the ignition switch. Check the connection between these two cables as a poor mating connection can easily cause the symptoms you are incurring.

And w/respect to the accessory position, you could have an ignition switch problem, or the voltage from the main fuse to the ignition switch is problematic or you have a faulty connection at the battery or the grounding is insufficient.

FClove86

I did bypass the start cut relay and confirmed 12v to the B/W wire to the starter motor but no sound/operation. I'm thinking of removing the starter next and doing an isolated bench test to check operation but I have to take off for school. I may have a few more questions for you at some point so thanks in advance, and again, for the help.

lduley

iTrader: (1)

Are you sure your battery is good, and connections tight? Sounds like a bad connection (ground mainly) to me

FClove86

Connections are tight. That was my first check. I did a bench test of the starter and found it bad. I replaced it and got the car to start, but am still having intermittent start issues.

Again I'm having all normal operations until I turn the ignition to start the car. I hear the starter click once and then everything goes dead. I found that if I close the driver door and open again everything reverts to normal until the ignition is turned to start again, very weird.

satch

iTrader: (1)

Try looking over the cable I spoke of which takes voltage from the main fuse and runs it to the ignition switch. And your car also sounds like there is possibly a grounding issue.

FClove86

Alright. So I traced every inch of wire in the starting circuit from battery to ignition to starter motor. Took apart every single plug, cleaned every connection whether it looked dirty or not, and verified voltages in and out of everything. Put it all back together and haven't had a start issue yet today (out of maybe a dozen starts).

As for now I suppose I'll chalk it up to a bad connection somewhere in the starting circuit. I wasn't really too worried about the grounds because I remade/cleaned all of them when I first purchased the car, although I did recheck to make sure nothing funky was going on.

Once again thanks for the help Satch. I admit I got way ahead of myself in the start and needed a nudge in the right direction.

satch

iTrader: (1)

Good to hear.