Well hell. Got myself a new battery, tested the voltage in a few places-at brain using the 3 prong lead, at starter) tried to check from ignition to brain while cranking, but couldn't figure out which post it was.

Installed Nippondenso starter (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PORSCHE-911-MINI-STARTER-IMI-PORSCHE-912-914-% 20930_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33576QQihZ012QQitemZ220006680668QQrdZ1QQsspagen
ameZWDVW) Thanks Dr. Evil...

Checked voltage, always hot, made sure everything was plugged into the right place... yes. Got lots of lights and a damn loud stereo volume, but not even a click from the starter. Just.... nothing, zip, nada.

Dude, what's up with my car?

Can you short terminals to see if the starter runs (bypass solimoid)?
With sparkplugs out, can the crank be turned?

Short Terminals? 'Splain Lucy... is that the screwdriver trick?

Clean all your grounds, search ford solinoid.

Is it turning over slow or not at all?

search ford solinoid? What does that mean?

It does not turn over at ALL. Nothing, no click, no sound, nothing.

Is your ground cable from the trans. to the chassis connected??

Yea that's a classic one.

I agree with Toothless Joe, but also follow the bouncing ball .....

1.) You have two red wires that go the big terminal on the starter ... one from the battery and one from the alternator harness.

2.) You have a yellow wire that comes from the ignition switch that goes to a spade terminal on the starter .... with the key in the START position, you should have 12 VDC. If you don't, either the connections at the relay board or your ignition switch is bad.

3.) If you stick a screwdriver to connect the big pole with the spade terminal, the starter should engage and turn the engine.

If none of this is understandable, step away from the car and call a mechanic.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=37683&hl=

Ja, #1 is good, wires are there.
#2, I should have 12V to the yellow spade? I like a dumbass checked the one from the battery, that's ALWAYS HOT. *head slap*

#3 is not exactly possible, there's some lovely plastic housing that's attached to the starter where the spade is. Dammit. Can't even push it out of the way to make contact. I suppose I could strip some of the wire housing away above the spade *shudder*. I hate that test. HATE IT. That Bosch muffler scares me silly every time.

Your ig switch may be done. If you can not get 12v (no less) to the yellow spade connector then you are dropping too much voltage between the battery and starter throught he wiring and switch (provided the ground strap is good and hooked up as mentioned above).

Yeah, I will check the yellow spade tonight.... the ig switch was replaced a few months ago, and it started fine for a while, then degraded again. Loved push-starting it on the streets of downtown San Ramon. Fun Fun.

If there's no signal at the spade I will definitely push start it back to the wrench and ask them to give the ig another go!

Thanks guys!!!

Carrie

This may be worth nothing, but my solution to a similar problem was the ground to the (-) battery terminal was bad. I would get a click from the new starter, but not enought good juice to turn it over. The metal post on the body was all rust and paint and broke off when I turned the nut. Grounding the battery to the fan housing solved my "intermitant starter" problem. Good luck

I don't think anyone hit on this BUT....hot start relay?? The wire from the ignition to the starter corrodes (its a temp fix but mine lasted 5 yrs)

its cheap and fast like 20 bucks and 15 min install

Make sure you clean all ground contacts(tranny ground and battery ground to chassis). Make sure any and all contacts are clean and making good contact.

Clean up your battery posts with sandpaper. Make sure your battery terminals are on tight. That can cause some funky problems.......


If you're going to do the screwdriver starter jump, make sure it's out of gear. Even if you think it is, double check.

Hot start relay works but shouldn't be needed if everything is working right. It's a band aid approach.

Here's a diagram I drew of the starter a while back....


Click to view attachment


You can put a spade connector on a long piece of 10ga wire, plug it on to the starter in place of the yellow wire, and with the car out of gear, touch it to the positive battery post. If it cranks, then you have a problem with the start circuit in the wiring harness.

Is this a 74? If so, check the big brother relay under the passenger seat.

THANK YOU for the diagram. When my husband was checking the voltage after I swapped the starters, he was like.. are you SURE this was how you were supposed to do the wires? Is this one always supposed to always be hot? I said ... Dude, this is how it was on the old one, so I put it back the same and probably yes, that one comes from the battery...and here lemme get my book....

Man I hate Haynes. They had zip. Well after digging around the wiring diagram it made sense but damn.

This guy is a 72 so I've been assured I don't have to take my seat out... I will be checking everything out voltage wise that I missed last time (yellow wire) and see what I can find and maybe do the bypass test *wince*
Would hate to think the Solenoid is dust since it IS a new starter. *grumble*

Anyway, THANKS!
Carrie

Glad I could be of help...

I wouldn't climb under the car and jump the solenoid. I would use the wire I described. Its safer, you aren't under the car with the starter turning.


Get it running and bring it to the Atomic Ramble. i would love to meet you and your husband.

Don't feel bad .... rebuilders and mini-torque manufacturers buy solenoids from a supplier. Sometimes they don't get crimped as well as they should (they crimp the can around the bakelite to hold it) and it won't make contact as is should. Try shutting your car off at a gas station, pumping gas, getting into start it and having the starter motor continually run with the key on, but no engagement of the bendix gear. Yep, the poor crimp, the solenoid rotated enough to get contact from the hot battery lead to the starter motor lead. A twist of the solenoid and we're on our way again.

Well, wouldn't you know. I'm laying under the car to check the voltage on the "yellow" wire and had my husband hop in to crank the ignition and it TURNED OVER. WTF. I yelped, and he did it again. I hopped in and tried it, nothing.
HE who hates the car has the TOUCH?!

Anyway, it has to be the ignition switch now! He started it for me and I drove it to work. Got here, I can't get it to go, but I'm so happy to have actually driven that car I could give a rats ass.

I will start searching for deets on the Atomic Ramble... thanks for the heads up!

Carrie

======================================
Checking to be sure. Starting to trace for electrical starting issues.

In Clay's diagram, the yellow wire connects to the right side of the solenoid. IN my photo the right side spade is a double connection. Is that the 'right' one? Thanks

Bill, yes, connect it to the side with two connections. I'd call it 'top' in the picture above. I'd also call it 'top' when it's in the car.

And coincidentally the original poster's car is here for some other work.