Oh no! No start

[Reichert]

I'm sitting here in a parking lot, with the dreaded no start condition. Been starting and stopping a few times this evening without trouble. Now, nothing. *Sigh*

From reading about this previously I don't recall any quick fixes, unless I missed something. I might have enough incline and room in front of me to clutch start it if I have to.

-Stephen 1990 #2288

[Reichert]

Killed half an hour at a bar nearby .. came back and it cranked right up!

-Stephen 1990 #2288

[lfalzarano]

Sounds like you really weren’t inconvenienced! [emoji482]


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[lfalzarano]

What was the temperature that day?


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[Reichert]

It was in the mid-60's. I had been driving quite a bit so the car was hot.

Spent some time digging back through the forums on this issue, and I think this thread is probably the most informative overall, including links to other threads.

http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread.php?t=11727

I will be installing a starter relay as described very soon.

[RussMcB]

It's been a while since I went through that. I think the final correction was the "Purple wire mod", which sends a stronger signal directly to the starter. When I did that mod, I also added a terminal to make it easy to zap the starter directly from the battery's positive terminal, but I haven't had to use it.

That was five years ago. I think there has been once or twice it didn't start immediately (of hundreds of starts),, but it always started after a minute or so.

Maybe the best plan is to turn off the car only when near a bar.

[Reichert]

Yeah, maybe it's a feature, not a bug!

-Stephen 1990 #2288

[Reichert]

So I added the relay to the circuit, which worked .. briefly. After a relatively short drive (but up to operating temp) it's not starting again. So now I'm thinking the starter solenoid itself is the problem? Hopefully it will start again after a short cool down. No bar in sight this time unfortunately!

-Stephen 1990 #2288

[RussMcB]

OK, two suggestions: 1) Maybe carry a cooler. :-)

2) (Forgive me if I mentioned this before) - Make up a short (2') wire, about 10-12 ga., and make it so you can touch one end of it to the battery positive terminal, sending 12v directly to the starter. I think one of your wires from the relay goes straight to the starter, right? (the purple wire?).

This 'emergency' procedure bypasses everything - Ignition switch, VATS, clutch switch, ...

Important note: Make sure the car is in neutral ! ! !

[Reichert]

OK, two suggestions: 1) Maybe carry a cooler. :-)

2) (Forgive me if I mentioned this before) - Make up a short (2') wire, about 10-12 ga., and make it so you can touch one end of it to the battery positive terminal, sending 12v directly to the starter. I think one of your wires from the relay goes straight to the starter, right? (the purple wire?).

This 'emergency' procedure bypasses everything - Ignition switch, VATS, clutch switch, ...

Important note: Make sure the car is in neutral ! ! !I did try to jump it with a piece of 12 gauge wire, though I did so at the relay terminal with a short wire, not from the battery directly, which is functionally equivalent I think. I made a few sparks but got nothing from the starter.

-Stephen

-Stephen 1990 #2288

[RussMcB]

Bummer. Sorry. You might be right.

I just remembered a #3) Always park on a hill.

oh, and #4) Put a small bike in the back of the car.

Good luck. If it is the starter, I think there are smart people here to help fix it. DO NOT do what I did. I bought a new starter from NAPA and gave them my old one. I really regret that.

[Reichert]

Bummer. Sorry. You might be right.

I just remembered a #3) Always park on a hill.

oh, and #4) Put a small bike in the back of the car.

Good luck. If it is the starter, I think there are smart people here to help fix it. DO NOT do what I did. I bought a new starter from NAPA and gave them my old one. I really regret that.I finally got it started again .. just waiting longer. When it finally turned over, there was a slight delay before it started cranking.

I was considering doing a core swap with a rebuild from Jerry's .. which I think will net me an oem equivalent?

-Stephen 1990 #2288

[RussMcB]

If you're working with Jerry, you're likely getting the best advice, service and product possible.

[Reichert]

I replaced the starter with a Remy rebuild - exact replacement. Working great now in conjunction with the relay mod.

I ended up buying the starter from Rock Auto; I did want to buy from Jerry's but the price was significantly better at RA. Of course, I got a new plenum gasket from Jerry's.

[lfalzarano]

Should have used Jerry’s starter...


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[Reichert]

$186 vs. $75 .. (after core charge refund) it was hard to justify. Same remanufactured part, with warranty from Remy. Happy to learn from evidence to the contrary though!

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=38143&cc=1041275&jsn=460

[lfalzarano]

Hope it works for you and you don’t have to do it again.


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[TX '90 ZR1]

I think I would have gone with Jerry's also. Just sayin".
:fahne::cheers:

[Reichert]

I'm very eager for Jerry to chime in and let us know why his Remy rebuilt starter is worth 2.5x the one sold by Rock Auto. In the meantime, as long as I own the car, I will report the nanosecond the starter fails.

Otherwise I do spend a lot of money at Jerry's and am very sure that without his business, owning and maintaining these cars would be infinity more difficult and expensive. That doesn't mean we shouldn't make rational market choices, though.

-Stephen 1990 #2288