help

[rpychon]

i've got an 88 festiva lx that won't start with the key and i have to push start it. it has a new starter runs great key turns on everything but wont start the car and when its running if you turn the key all the way to start the car it actually kills the car and i need to fix this car its the only one my family has or can afford pls help me thanks.

[batstiva]

So, when the car is sitting and you try to start it, what happens? Anything? Crank but no fire? No crank at all?

If there is nothing, I suspect the neutral switch is stuck. Check this, there is a button directly behind the clutch pedal assembly. See if that switch is functioning properly. Let me see if I can find a pic of what I'm talking about. Here they are. Also, make sure when the starter was changed that the connections for the neutral switch at the tranny were not disconnected.





P.S. Might not hurt to include your location, there may be a member nearby who can help you. You can do this by updating your profile in "User CP"

[pimpinphil]

check over all your connections to the starter. make sure your grounds are clean,and making good contact as well. if all that looks good as well, as what batstiva stated. you'll have to check to make your you are even getting power to the starter solenoid from the ignition switch,one of the wires going to the solenoid should be straight from the switch,might have a problem with that wire.

[wrongfulleaf]

So, when the car is sitting and you try to start it, what happens? Anything? Crank but no fire? No crank at all?

If there is nothing, I suspect the neutral switch is stuck. Check this, there is a button directly behind the clutch pedal assembly. See if that switch is functioning properly. Let me see if I can find a pic of what I'm talking about. Here they are. Also, make sure when the starter was changed that the connections for the neutral switch at the tranny were not disconnected.





P.S. Might not hurt to include your location, there may be a member nearby who can help you. You can do this by updating your profile in "User CP"

I think that Batstiva hit the nail on the head! If not it is a great starting point. Are you by any chance the guy I told on yahoo to come check out this site? If I remember right he said that he had no crank at all. Well if you are or aren't from yahoo welcome to the site, and you might get a hand to assist you if you update your location.

[batstiva]

It would help to know exactly what does or doesn't happen when he turns the key. Because drift starting the car bypasses the neutral/clutch switch, as well as a faulty starter. Hopefully, we'll get some more info.

[Festy46]

First thing DO NOT EVER turn the key to the start position when the engine is running. You can seriously damage the flywheel as well as the starter. It sounds like you have a dead short somewhere in your starting circuit. When you say you have a new starter, did the new one ever work? If not it's possible the solenoid could have a short in it. This would be the easiest and first thing to check before you start looking at the wiring. You can check the solenoid's operation with a screwdriver. Make sure the ignition key is off and the car is in neutral with the emergency brake on. Make sure you have no gas leaks on the engine and that you do not smell any gas before you do this. Next look at the solenoid. That's the round thing on top of the starter with 2 big studs with nuts on them. You should see a small wire connected to the solenoid. Pull this wire off. Next take a screwdriver and carefully touch the little piece that you pulled the wire off and the big stud that has the battery cable connected to it at the same time. Do it quickly on and off and be careful not to touch any other part but the stud and the little spade. If you get a tiny spark and the motor starts to turn over, you have a short somewhere in your wiring or perhaps the neutral switch. If you get a big spark and a loud snap or pop sound and the motor does not try to turn over, then you have a bad solenoid. If the motor did turn over you can use this screrwdriver method to start the car instead of pushing it. But MAKE SURE the car is in neutral or you could run over yourself when it starts. Let us know what you found out and we can help you get it fixed.