Getting my Fiat initiation - flakey starter?

[jimincalif]

Got in the car this afternoon after it had been sitting all day. Turn the key, no starter. Dash lights, blower motor are working, I hear a click each time which sounded more like a relay in the car than the starter solenoid. Tried several times, no joy. Push started the car and drove home about 4 miles, pulled it into the garage, shut it off, then started it, and it started fine. I've since started it another 3 times, no problem.

Battery registers 12.7 volts off, goes to 13.6 at idle. Battery terminals are clean. Doesn't appear to be anything draining the battery, with ignition switch off I register only 17ma of current, seems pretty reasonable for the clock and would not kill the battery.

Not sure what to check next since it is working normally now. Any ideas or just wait til it happens again and try to park where I can push it? Thanks.

[racydave]

Jim, I did a few things to fix mine. Clean and tighten the connectionc at the starter. I added an additional groundstrap from the engine to the chassis, as the original one is inadaquet. Also, there is a connector at the base of the steering, under the dash. The ignition wire that goes to the starter is in this connector. It may have gotten hot and burnt the connector, meaning high resistance and a intermittant start.

[digitech]

Can also be the ignition switch begining to go bad.

[jimincalif]

Thanks, Maybe I'll start with some CRC contact cleaner in the ignition switch and check the connector as well. Will tackle the starter connections on the weekend.

Jim

[jimincalif]

Well, after my wonderful attitude adjustment drive last night, the spider is paying me back. Took it to work today, went to leave tonight and no starter again. Had to call AAA to help as there was no one around to help me push start it.

Previously I had pulled open the ignition switch connector to make sure the connections were clean and tight, also sprayed contact cleaner in the ignition switch, and checked the red wire spade connection on the starter. No more trouble until tonight.

The AAA driver checked battery voltage, it was OK. When I would try to start it the battery light would dim when the switch went to the starter position. I tried working the key back and forth and jiggling it. I pulled the red wire off the starter and put it back on, opened and closed the connector block, but again, no start. Also tried banging on the starter a bit with a long pole to see if it was just stuck, no go. Pushed started it, drove it home, and sure enough, shut it off in the garage and then it restarted just fine.

I will check the connections all over again, but given that the battery light would go dim when I turned the key to start, seems like current is flowing to the starter motor and it is just not turning.

[digitech]

Classic case of a bad starter motor/solenoid.

[racydave]

Jim, If you could only have a volt meter with you when it f"'s up, I wonder what the voltage is at the red and main terminals??? If you were to have full batt voltage it could still be a open ground. You can use a set of jumper cables, and connect the engine to the chassis? Also sometimes the wires are broken at the terminals, try pulling the wires. It wont hurt to clean the main terminals at the starter with something like emory cloth. Good luck

[jimincalif]

Yeah, if I could just get it to NOT start when I'm at home, I could find out a lot. Went for a drive this evening, fired right up. I think I'm going to go ahead and replace it, it is 30 years old after all. Heck even Ron Luxmore had to replace his, and as he always reminds us, 82s are the best year ever. So mine is probably due.

[smfinley]

Jim,
When you are having trouble with the starter try removing the lead going to the starter solenoid and short the spade on the solenoid directly to the power terminal on the starter, this will bypass your wiring and test the starter itself. Do this with the car in neutral, but if it turns over when you do that it is likely a wiring problem somewhere under your dash. I would just use a insulated handle screwdriver to make the connection, but you can also get a remote start switch that people use while troubleshooting.

I had this problem when my car would sit for a few days, to fix this I installed a relay to power the starter, so that my ignition switch only has to energize the relay.