The dreaded No Start

[Fully Vetted]

Well, it finally happened. Went and had breakfast and came out and...nothing. Lights, bells, whistles...but starter would not engage. I thought for sure that it was the clutch starter switch because there has been a half second delay here lately when I go to start it. A quick phone call to Emporer DJ and he told me to close the door, lock it and go have another cup of coffee for 20 minutes. I thought he was violating his substance abuse enduced court order but sure enough it fired right up like nothing ever happened.

She is a temperamental Beast...

[Jim Nolan]

I had the same problem several years ago and I put the clutch in and out several times and then held it in for a few minutes and then she started right up. I think the spring in the switch just gets stuck but eventualy works. Just a personal experience.

[XfireZ51]

Occasionally I am getting a "flywheel missing a tooth" kind of deal. happens when the motor is heat soaked. Wait a few minutes, and it engages.

[tccrab]

hmmm... in your sig I see that yours is a '94 which means that it's not the glitchy starter circuit that plagues the 90-92's.
The usual culprits are the clutch safety switch and or the contacts on the starter solenoid.
The first thing I'd do is jumper out or replace the clutch safety switch and replace the starter relay.
They both live under the drivers hush panel.
It makes sense to do both while you are in there.
If you then still experience an occasional DNS then it's time for a plenum pull and starter solenoid rebuild.
It's not difficult or expensive to rebuild a starter solenoid, in fact it's harder to pull the plenum.
Somewhere around here is a nice thread with plenty of info on how to rebuild the solenoid and where to get the contacts.
It's probably in Dynomite's common Solutions Guide, I'll have to go digging around for it.
Here's some nice pics of a Starter disassembled, you can see it's not all that complicated.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1581564085-post52.html
Now to find where to buy the contacts.
Back soon.....
Here it is, it will cost you $26 plus shipping for a rebuild kit:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DENSO-17091-STARTER-REBUILD-KIT-128000-495-/160547063666?hash=item256159c772&item=160547063666&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

Good Luck!

'Crabs

[Fully Vetted]

Are you referring to the cause of the no start or the delay in the starter engaging? Or both?

[tccrab]

Are you referring to the cause of the no start or the delay in the starter engaging? Or both?

Actually, bad starter solenoid contacts could conceivably cause both symptoms.
The clutch safety switch and the starter relay probably shouldn't cause a delay in starter engaging, but you never know.....

'Crabs

[Fully Vetted]

It doesn't happen every time. Cranked it up a couple of times today with no delay.

[rhipsher]

Yeah David but I know how this no start stuff goes. It works fine for a week and then leaves you hanging at the worst possible time. Like when you take your wife to dinner in it and it won't start when your ready to leave. Just replace the whole starter with the new solenoid already on it and your good to go.

[Dynomite]

hmmm... in your sig I see that yours is a '94 which means that it's not the glitchy starter circuit that plagues the 90-92's.
The usual culprits are the clutch safety switch and or the contacts on the starter solenoid.
The first thing I'd do is jumper out or replace the clutch safety switch and replace the starter relay.
They both live under the drivers hush panel.
It makes sense to do both while you are in there.
If you then still experience an occasional DNS then it's time for a plenum pull and starter solenoid rebuild.
It's not difficult or expensive to rebuild a starter solenoid, in fact it's harder to pull the plenum.
Somewhere around here is a nice thread with plenty of info on how to rebuild the solenoid and where to get the contacts.
It's probably in Dynomite's common Solutions Guide, I'll have to go digging around for it.
Here's some nice pics of a Starter disassembled, you can see it's not all that complicated.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1581564085-post52.html
Now to find where to buy the contacts.
Back soon.....
Here it is, it will cost you $26 plus shipping for a rebuild kit:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DENSO-17091-STARTER-REBUILD-KIT-128000-495-/160547063666?hash=item256159c772&item=160547063666&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

Good Luck!

'Crabs

In that regard

1. Starter Contacts.
I had a NO START condition on this 90' and after I towed it for a start....got home and it fired right up. I would have liked to hot wire the starter (purple wire) when that happens to see if it is the starter or starter ground circuit. Or check that purple wire for 12 volts when I turn the switch to start. I lean toward ground circuit or sticky starter solenoid. Another indication would be if when you turn the ignition key to start do the lights dim for example indicating a current draw to the starter solenoid/starter.

If the solenoid does not move (no clicking indicating the Starter Solenoid moved) as in my case then a sticky Solenoid or Solenoid Ground Connection. If the Solenoid clicked/moved...then bad Solenoid contacts or bad connection Battery cable (Positive) to starter/battery or bad ground (Negative) engine to battery.

Installed a relay in the start circuit of the 90' identical to what I have on the 91'. This is one of those intermittent issues and does sound like poor electrical connections in either the Starter Negative Connections or Starter Positive Connections.
Starter Relay, Wiring Harness, Battery, and Plugs Tricks (http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-zr-1-discussion/3005470-tech-info-lt5-modifications-rebuild-tricks-500-hp-3.html#post1581564085)

The Starter Solenoid is shown in the left photo with slight burnt contacts in right photo.
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll142/dynomite007/Maintenance%20ZR1/bac49725-6086-4f07-a929-9f1f498e4d50.jpg (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/dynomite007/media/Maintenance%20ZR1/bac49725-6086-4f07-a929-9f1f498e4d50.jpg.html)http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll142/dynomite007/Maintenance%20ZR1/e8886408-e5b8-40d3-a5d2-199e22f85e0a.jpg (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/dynomite007/media/Maintenance%20ZR1/e8886408-e5b8-40d3-a5d2-199e22f85e0a.jpg.html)

The Solenoid contacts in left photo were wire brushed clean in right photo.
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll142/dynomite007/Maintenance%20ZR1/95a2d94c-6e14-4206-ab39-e157c17fc6a2.jpg (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/dynomite007/media/Maintenance%20ZR1/95a2d94c-6e14-4206-ab39-e157c17fc6a2.jpg.html)http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll142/dynomite007/Maintenance%20ZR1/e6b04516-3ebb-49ab-9f32-1da552901435.jpg

Complete Starter Disassembly.
Photo provided by mgbrv8 Complete starter rebuild by mgbrv8 (http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread.php?p=165565) (Dave)

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll142/dynomite007/Maintenance%20ZR1/Starter.jpg

[efnfast]

Dang, some people just ain't 'fraid to tear s*** apart.

[Fully Vetted]

Yeah David but I know how this no start stuff goes. It works fine for a week and then leaves you hanging at the worst possible time. Like when you take your wife to dinner in it and it won't start when your ready to leave. Just replace the whole starter with the new solenoid already on it and your good to go.

So, 10 minutes before you posted this I had to convince my wife that it would not leave us stranded if we took it to dinner. We're sitting at a red light, my phone goes off and it's this post by you. I start laughing, she grabs my phone and I again had to convince her it would be fine.

And it was...this time.

[Paul Workman]

The most common starter problem are worn contacts, indicated when the starter "clicks", but will not turn. Plunger/contact repair kits for the Denso starters are all over ebay, for $25-$35 for the kit, or between $7-$10 for the contact posts.

Purchase info:

The Denso (Nippondenso) (OSGR series) starter, (Corvette ZR-1 app)

Manufacture part number = 128000-543
Amp/kW = 1.4
Nippondenso part # 17129

That said, you'll still want to compare the length of the plunger/pin to the old one, as there are several lengths, and you don't want to use the wrong one.

Getting the wrong plunger happened to me in spite of having the correct numbers (beware ebay), but I was able to use the new contact posts, and was able to re-surface the copper contact ring on the plunger - removing the carbon tracing and pits. That was at 39k miles, and that was 20k miles ago - still working fine.


C-Link (http://www.metroautoinc.com/Download/Denso%20OSGR-Light%20Duty%20Complete%20Catalog.pdf)(I've never bought anything from them, but here's a place to start?)


P.

PS. Scottfab...if you're reading this, it occurs to me that a simple delay circuit might solve the contact erosion issue. If the solenoid were activated first before the batt was applied to the solenoid contacts, it would reduce the arching. (Sort of like your recommendation of closing the clutch interlock switch before turning the key...You heard it here first!;))

[XfireZ51]

The wife/dinner scenario actually happened to me a couple of years ago. Fortunately we were only about a 1 1/2miles from home and I had backed the car not a parking spot that was on a slight incline. I was able to roll it w the help of some other restaurant patrons and pop the clutch! My wife thinks the car did it out of spite because I wasn't giving my car enough attention.

[Paul Workman]

The wife/dinner scenario actually happened to me a couple of years ago. Fortunately we were only about a 1 1/2miles from home and I had backed the car not a parking spot that was on a slight incline. I was able to roll it w the help of some other restaurant patrons and pop the clutch! My wife thinks the car did it out of spite because I wasn't giving my car enough attention.

NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION?? Helz belz, Dom! You're the Dave Johnson of the midwest!!! :dancing