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I guess it's the starter cut relay. . . .

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Old May 4, 2004 | 10:54 PM
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I guess it's the starter cut relay. . . .

So out of no where my car will not start. (i've done the search) The battery was checked and it's full. The car will start if a pair of jumper cables are hooked up. The car has power in the "ign" position of the turning the key, I depress the clutch and turn key to start and *click* everything shuts off. The car will not have any power in any of the key positions. I unplug and replug the negative terminal. BOOM!! There's power again. As I unplug the terminal I can hear the relays going to work. As if they were resetting. Anyway, I checked to make sure the battery was full and it is. It works great in all my other cars. So I know it's not that. So my last and final guess is that it's the starter cut relay located underneathe the joint box near the clutch pedal.

Anyone else have this problem or does this somewhat sound familiar? Help on this would be much appreciated.
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Old May 5, 2004 | 09:22 AM
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anyone???
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Old May 5, 2004 | 09:25 AM
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I have the same problem, changing the clutch and netural swith dident help, i am starting to think it might actually be the starter or Ing switch. I have already check my starter relay
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Old May 5, 2004 | 11:35 AM
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My fellow rotorites are saying that it may be the starter solenoid that's causing my woes. Let me know if you figure it out Mr Rx.
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Old May 5, 2004 | 11:40 AM
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Had the same problem with my MX-6. I ended up cleaning the battery posts and terminal connectors on the battery cables of the car. Worked fine after that.
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Old May 5, 2004 | 11:45 AM
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I had that problem. It was the alarm starter cut relay. However after buying 2 new relays it still didn't correct it. Finally bypassed the starter cut relay and zero problems. But if alarm goes off my car will still start. Using a club now
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Old May 5, 2004 | 11:54 AM
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if after replacing the relay the problem still existed and also if when using jumper cables the car starts it doesnt seem to be the relay to me. jumper cables wouldnt by pass the relay and new relays should work fine. weird
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Old May 5, 2004 | 11:59 AM
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Originally posted by 13Beast REW
if after replacing the relay the problem still existed and also if when using jumper cables the car starts it doesnt seem to be the relay to me. jumper cables wouldnt by pass the relay and new relays should work fine. weird
You're telling me. I don't quite understand it myself. Now I'm starting to think I have a short somewhere that might be knocking out the starting system.
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Old May 5, 2004 | 11:09 PM
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An update,

On the advice of a friend

We started by making sure it wasent willing to start... and it dident easyly

so i got under the car and gently hit the starter with a metal rod while my friend was trying to start it, after the second tap it started right up.....so my friend thinks that the starter it self might me getting stuck, and that causeing the clicking noise when the started dosent turn over....or at least part of the problem.....
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Old May 5, 2004 | 11:34 PM
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Originally posted by MrRx
An update,

On the advice of a friend

We started by making sure it wasent willing to start... and it dident easyly

so i got under the car and gently hit the starter with a metal rod while my friend was trying to start it, after the second tap it started right up.....so my friend thinks that the starter it self might me getting stuck, and that causeing the clicking noise when the started dosent turn over....or at least part of the problem.....
Don't think you and I are talking about the same thing. My car won't get past one click. And after that first click ALL the power in my car tunrs off and will not return unless I unplug the negative side of the battery and re-attach it. Thanks for the update though. I really appreciate it.
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Old May 5, 2004 | 11:47 PM
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Are you sure that both battery cables/terminals are in good condition, no major corrosion evident, and are making good, complete contact? It sounds to me like a battery connection issue, since your power shuts off completely when you try to start it a second time.
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Old May 6, 2004 | 06:19 PM
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Both terminals are completely making contact and everything. I'm thinking about taking a wirebrush and cleaning off the terminals and the connectors.
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Old May 6, 2004 | 06:52 PM
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Some starters have a magnetic switch (2nd Gen), not sure if the 3rds do. If that has broken or become disconnected the car will not start. You will have power in all normal positions and you will here the "click" when you press the clutch in.

This switch is connected to the positive side of the starter terminals. Looks like a small electrical component (small black box shaped thing) with a single wire coming out of the top.

Although with this broken the car will not start with a jump either. It sucks to buy a whole new starter and then find out that one does not work. I have done it. Just something to look into.

Good Luck
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Old May 6, 2004 | 07:13 PM
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I have to ask, did you check to see if the ground wire from the block to the frame is still hooked up? Your ign. switch stops all power from acc. to start the engine until you let the switch retract back. Poor ground wire, and no starter!!!!

Just my 2 cents.

Adam
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Old May 6, 2004 | 08:07 PM
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Originally posted by SBi_Owner
I have to ask, did you check to see if the ground wire from the block to the frame is still hooked up? Your ign. switch stops all power from acc. to start the engine until you let the switch retract back. Poor ground wire, and no starter!!!!

Just my 2 cents.

Adam
Going to garage to check that now. Thanks for the input.
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Old May 6, 2004 | 08:34 PM
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OMFG

The last question that was asked is "did you check to see if the ground wire from the block to the frame is still hooked up?" In which case it is. So I look at the grounding strips all over the motor and find one that connects from the UIM to the body. This strip is PLUGGED IN. So I go ahead and unplug it and the car STARTS WITH NO PROBLEM. I don't know whether to be happy or to be worried. The main ground at the bottom of the block is still on but I'm wondering if that's a big no no to remove the ground strip from the UIM.

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!
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Old May 6, 2004 | 09:03 PM
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Thats kind of odd....so you unpluged the tiny wire on the Uim, and it started?
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Old May 7, 2004 | 12:10 AM
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Yup. I personally couldn't believe it.

But then I plugged the wire back in and now it starts with it in there. I honestly don't know what I did. TOTALLY WEIRD!!!
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Old May 7, 2004 | 12:24 AM
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I think you should take the battery terminals off, and wire brush both to ensure a good connection. Just because they look fine doesn't mean that they're getting a good connection. I had my van do the same thing, and the connectors looked fine; zero voltage, but if I banged on them or jerked on them, it would start right up. Just my $0.02.
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