View Full Version : Help! KA-t not starting/cranking
redline240sx
11-09-2010, 03:54 PM
Ok, I've had this problem for about a month an a half and I really want to drive my car again.
I have a thread posted on KA-t.org, but I figure I ask you guys for some help. I've dont my searching and keep finding the same ideas I already tried which were Starter, battery, blue relay.
I dont know what else to check and I'm completely puzzled. So, PLEASE HELP!
When I try turning the key to the start position I dont get nothing at all. Sometimes maybe a click or two from the starter. I had a friend crank it while I was listening to any noise comming from the engine bay and my relay is good, I can here clicks.
The weird think I can say is when I turn the key toward the on position my RPM needle jumps back and forth (from 0 RPM to the other end and back).
Come Zilvians Help my KA-t get back on the road :cry::cry:
dgomez
11-09-2010, 07:40 PM
checked your grounds? my buddy had a similar experience on his. the starter ground came off while driving. also check the clutch sensor. the plastic peice could have broken or came off.
redline240sx
11-09-2010, 10:22 PM
checked your grounds? my buddy had a similar experience on his. the starter ground came off while driving. also check the clutch sensor. the plastic peice could have broken or came off.
Starter ground and the plastic piece when pressing the pedel down is all intact. Thanks though
Can't really seem to figure this problem out.
dgomez
11-10-2010, 12:04 AM
How did this happen? Did it just stop working one day or did you stop feeling power little by little?
ghost_22_47
11-10-2010, 06:03 AM
Try bypassing the turn key if you can by cranking it by jumping the starter terminals with a screwdriver, if you can crank the car that way then you know that everything after the starter should be fine and that your problem is probably before the starter most likely in the steering colum. I know my wifes old 240 had an issue where you could repeatedly try and turn the key to crank the motor and it wouldn't do anything. It was an issue with the key assembly.
redline240sx
11-10-2010, 06:22 AM
Try bypassing the turn key if you can by cranking it by jumping the starter terminals with a screwdriver, if you can crank the car that way then you know that everything after the starter should be fine and that your problem is probably before the starter most likely in the steering colum. I know my wifes old 240 had an issue where you could repeatedly try and turn the key to crank the motor and it wouldn't do anything. It was an issue with the key assembly.
Well I checked the ignition switch and that seem to be fine. About the screwdriver trick you were telling me you mind elaborating more on that on how to jump start it?
This probably all happen after a long night of driving my car. As I was driving down my block my car started to over heat, so I took the car of while driving and was able to roll into my driveway. Then the next morning it started once and never again.
ghost_22_47
11-10-2010, 08:05 AM
Well I checked the ignition switch and that seem to be fine. About the screwdriver trick you were telling me you mind elaborating more on that on how to jump start it?
This probably all happen after a long night of driving my car. As I was driving down my block my car started to over heat, so I took the car of while driving and was able to roll into my driveway. Then the next morning it started once and never again.
Sure, it's alittle dangerous so be careful when you do it.
You can do this 2 ways,
1st is the way I would recommend with is, if you can afford it (under $50 probably) get a remote starter switch, its a handle with a trigger and two alligator connectors. Connect them to the two large terminals on the back of the starter, pressing the trigger will start the starter there by cranking the engine.
2nd is the cheap way, use a flat head screw driver to cross the two terminals and complete the circuit and start the starter, just be carful becuase it is going to spark and use something rubber to hold the screw driver and protect from yourself from injury.
If the engine cranks (meaning starter starts and turns the flywheel moving crackshaft and internals) then you know there shouldn't be an issue from the starter forward, so start diagnosing what is not completeing the curcuit to the starter.
Good Luck
snickers
11-10-2010, 08:26 AM
u could check the battery terminals. my car did it bc i had a bad connection on my terminals. i cleaned the terminals and tightn them down more and it works fine now. but im still on a stock ka not boosted yet. but it could help
ghost_22_47
11-10-2010, 08:31 AM
u could check the battery terminals. my car did it bc i had a bad connection on my terminals. i cleaned the terminals and tightn them down more and it works fine now. but im still on a stock ka not boosted yet. but it could help
he has a good point, did you check that you have proper voltage and that the battery isn't dead.
redline240sx
11-10-2010, 09:19 AM
he has a good point, did you check that you have proper voltage and that the battery isn't dead.
Thanks, I will try that trick of your, hopefully I do it right and get some answers.
Battery is brand new, But still tested it using my muti-meter and I am getting 12v. My battery is in the hatch trunk and was there for the pass two years but just incase I did go over all the connection to see if anything got loose.
ghost_22_47
11-10-2010, 10:26 AM
Thanks, I will try that trick of your, hopefully I do it right and get some answers.
Battery is brand new, But still tested it using my muti-meter and I am getting 12v. My battery is in the hatch trunk and was there for the pass two years but just incase I did go over all the connection to see if anything got loose.
Yeah let us know if that works, if you feel unsure about how to do it I'm sure you can find a video on youtube to show you.
redline240sx
11-10-2010, 01:39 PM
I tried the screw driver thing and didnt work. I dont know if I was doing it wrong or what. But when I place it on the 2 terminals I wasnt getting nothing, not even spark. Ignition was on and 12v is going to the starter.
My cluster(RPM) is still jumping everytime i turn the key. Can this lead to something?
Rabboni
11-10-2010, 04:26 PM
It seams to me that you need to do is a voltage drop test from the battery positive terminal to the starter positive terminal. If the test yields a result over .5 volts there is too much resistance in your battery positive cable that needs to be fixed.
live2c2morrow
11-10-2010, 05:10 PM
If your lights light up on your dash then your ECU should be ok. Since you are hearing a clicking sound from your relay then you are getting power to that point. Now you might want to check the wiring to the starter. When it comes to electrical I always recommend a Fluke! LOL.
redline240sx
11-11-2010, 12:15 AM
It seams to me that you need to do is a voltage drop test from the battery positive terminal to the starter positive terminal. If the test yields a result over .5 volts there is too much resistance in your battery positive cable that needs to be fixed.
I've been driving the car with the same cable and setup for 2 years not, can this all of a sudden be a problem? I'm running a 0 gauge wire as my positive battery cable straight to a distribution block in the engine bay then a short piece of 0 gauge from the distribution block to the starter.
live2c2morrow - Yes, everything inside is working, radio etc. All my wiring around the starter are fine and have good connections.
I bought a friends starter which he had for 3 months but took his car down for 2 months. So, the starter have been sitting down for a little. I think I might just buy a new(rebuilt) starter just to clarify that it isn't the start.
ghost_22_47
11-11-2010, 07:11 AM
I've been driving the car with the same cable and setup for 2 years not, can this all of a sudden be a problem? I'm running a 0 gauge wire as my positive battery cable straight to a distribution block in the engine bay then a short piece of 0 gauge from the distribution block to the starter.
live2c2morrow - Yes, everything inside is working, radio etc. All my wiring around the starter are fine and have good connections.
I bought a friends starter which he had for 3 months but took his car down for 2 months. So, the starter have been sitting down for a little. I think I might just buy a new(rebuilt) starter just to clarify that it isn't the start.
Well you could test your starter alone before you spend money.
Take the battery out of the car, take jumper cables and connect them to the battery then connect one of the cables to one of the starter terminals you used before and then (tap/hold there for a second) to the other terminal on the starter (You may need some long think gauge wire to connect to the jumper cables to make it easier to get to the starter (just dont cross them ha ha). If the starter works then it could be the wires to the starter and your starter is fine. If it doesn't work then that is 3 tests telling you the starter is scrap. The normal key test, the screwdriver test, and the direct battery power test.
gonshik007
11-11-2010, 07:24 AM
Do you have a multi-meter? Check make sure you are getting 12V to the starter on the main pin and make sure you have a good connection to ground and just check that. Because on the starter the body of the starter is automatically grounded do to the engine being grounded. The two terminals on the starter on is constant 12V the other is the 12v signal that comes from the ignition switch. So check over all of that.
redline240sx
11-11-2010, 01:19 PM
Well you could test your starter alone before you spend money.
Take the battery out of the car, take jumper cables and connect them to the battery then connect one of the cables to one of the starter terminals you used before and then (tap/hold there for a second) to the other terminal on the starter (You may need some long think gauge wire to connect to the jumper cables to make it easier to get to the starter (just dont cross them ha ha). If the starter works then it could be the wires to the starter and your starter is fine. If it doesn't work then that is 3 tests telling you the starter is scrap. The normal key test, the screwdriver test, and the direct battery power test.
Ok, I'll give this test a try. So I put one cable on the soleniod it self and the other on the terminal where the signal wire is hooked up to correct? Thanks
Do you have a multi-meter? Check make sure you are getting 12V to the starter on the main pin and make sure you have a good connection to ground and just check that. Because on the starter the body of the starter is automatically grounded do to the engine being grounded. The two terminals on the starter on is constant 12V the other is the 12v signal that comes from the ignition switch. So check over all of that.
Yea I have a muti-meter. I checked all the main ground on the car, took them out and cleaned them. I though this would also solve my rpm jumping but it didn't thats probably a whole different story. Starter is getting 12v check it a few times. I'll check if the signal wire is also getting 12v as well, thanks.
redline240sx
11-13-2010, 03:55 PM
Ok, Today weather was a little warmer so i decided to work on the car. I am getting clicks from the starter now, but not all the time. The car crank, but very weak I dont know why probably a ground? Anyone??
So, since the starter finally started to click my rpm gauge stop jumping around, but when my starter doesn't click it jumps.
mendozasport
11-13-2010, 04:29 PM
you said you have 0 gauge for your positive running from the trunk/hatch tothe engine bay , what gauge is the negative and where does it run to
if you have it bolted to the floor of the trunck and there is nothing conecting it to the engine bay
try some jumper cables and conect to the negative terminal and connect the other end to the negative wire that is bolted to your engine right on the intake manifold
try that and if it works
invest in 25 ft of 0 gauge and loop it
the more negative you have the better
i was told this and did a couple of dyno runs at a friends shopand we saw 2-3 ponies more just conecting thicker wire
redline240sx
11-13-2010, 05:33 PM
I have 0 gauge also for my negative which is bolted up to the hatch/trunk floor.
Well tomm, I will try to ground the battery negative to the manifold on the intake since i dont have any ground comming from the intake onto the chasis, Ill see if that works.
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