Intermittant No Start - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

tomtom72 · 11-09-2009

I need all the no start experts please.....

The symptoms that were witnessed are as follows:

Key over to start position and all the DIC lights come on, but the center LCD is scrambled. The "security" light flashed, and the horn sounded with extremely low volume, so low a volume that you almost would have missed it if there wasn't total silence. No starter solenoid clicks, no starter noise of any kind.

DVOM check of the battery by the owner yielded 12.5v. Also, something else that seems very strange to me, the owner tried to hook up his float charger and the charger refused to charge the battery after the initial "no start" event?

Of course about 45 minutes later the car started like nothing was wrong.

I didn't witness the events. All this was relayed to me via phone calls. The battery is a GM/delco that is 3 yrs old. I may not have the sequencing exactly correct with the scrambled LCD display as my bro makes his own wine and the symptoms relayed to me were after the car started. The first phone call was merely a declarative "the ******* car won't start, and I can't charge the battery!" I will endeavor to obtain a more accurate account of the events. I would like to know if I am correct in wanting to start with the battery or should I start with the clutch switch or the VATS system?

TIA

Tom

jonszr1 · 11-09-2009

i had something similar happen to me , it turned out to be a bad battery ,which i just bought 3 months ago . batt at 3 yrs old is most likely the offender . if he wants to ch the bat .i dissconnect the bat from the car and put 2 bolts in the terminals chg the bat and then hook it up . if you have a load tester ck it with that before you hook it up and ck the condition .hope this helps

XfireZ51 · 11-09-2009

Tom,

I had similar symptoms. I replaced my starter to a used 94 and had one incident 2 months ago, and nothing ever since.

Kevin · 11-09-2009

clutch switch

tomtom72 · 11-10-2009

Thanks guys, I'm grateful for the input.

I'm going to start at the battery and work my way to the other suspects.

I gotta say the battery was my first suspect, but when I found out it was only 3 yrs old I kind of crossed it off of the list. This car rarely gets used, and when it does mostly it's less than 30 mile trips......unless I get Lou to follow me around!

Tom

LGAFF · 11-10-2009

If you push in the clutch pedal and see a volt drop, the switch is fine. Everyone told me clutch pedal switch also and it turned out to be the starter....same symptoms as you had here.

tomtom72 · 11-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by LGAFF

If you push in the clutch pedal and see a volt drop, the switch is fine. Everyone told me clutch pedal switch also and it turned out to be the starter....same symptoms as you had here.

Thanks Lee! I needed that bit of info about the testing to check the clutch switch. I do the drop measuring at the clutch switch? Forgive my ignorance as I haven't looked in the FSM yet.

tccrab · 11-10-2009

First thing I'd do is to clean the battery terminals.
Just a tiny bit of crud there will cause all kinds of gremlins.

Doesn't sound like it needs my "Dreaded No Start" mod just yet.

TomC
"Crabs"

LGAFF · 11-10-2009

Turn the ignition switch to on, push in the clutch and you should see a drop in voltage on the volt meter. If you see a drop in voltage, whent the clutch is depressed it means that the switch is working.

louispf · 11-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomtom72

Thanks guys, I'm grateful for the input.

I'm going to start at the battery and work my way to the other suspects.

I gotta say the battery was my first suspect, but when I found out it was only 3 yrs old I kind of crossed it off of the list. This car rarely gets used, and when it does mostly it's less than 30 mile trips......unless I get Lou to follow me around!

Tom

Tom & everyone thanks for all your help. The battery is 18 months old but unfortunately I do not get to drive the car that much. I think about 150 miles so far this year. But it does look good! Will clean up the terminals first, stick a bolt in each terminal & see if we can get some more juice in it (thanks Tom). Clean up all the rest of the starting surfaces & we'll take it from there. If it does not start after that, I've got a tow strap & Tom will tow me around.

11-09-2009	#1
tomtom72 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA Posts: 4,645	Intermittant No Start I need all the no start experts please..... The symptoms that were witnessed are as follows: Key over to start position and all the DIC lights come on, but the center LCD is scrambled. The "security" light flashed, and the horn sounded with extremely low volume, so low a volume that you almost would have missed it if there wasn't total silence. No starter solenoid clicks, no starter noise of any kind. DVOM check of the battery by the owner yielded 12.5v. Also, something else that seems very strange to me, the owner tried to hook up his float charger and the charger refused to charge the battery after the initial "no start" event? Of course about 45 minutes later the car started like nothing was wrong. I didn't witness the events. All this was relayed to me via phone calls. The battery is a GM/delco that is 3 yrs old. I may not have the sequencing exactly correct with the scrambled LCD display as my bro makes his own wine and the symptoms relayed to me were after the car started. The first phone call was merely a declarative "the ******* car won't start, and I can't charge the battery!" I will endeavor to obtain a more accurate account of the events. I would like to know if I am correct in wanting to start with the battery or should I start with the clutch switch or the VATS system? TIA Tom __________________ 1990 ZR-1, Black/grey, #2233, stock. ZR-1 Net Reg Founding Member #316 & NCM member

11-09-2009	#2
jonszr1 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: lone pine and mammoth lakes Posts: 1,407	Re: Intermittant No Start i had something similar happen to me , it turned out to be a bad battery ,which i just bought 3 months ago . batt at 3 yrs old is most likely the offender . if he wants to ch the bat .i dissconnect the bat from the car and put 2 bolts in the terminals chg the bat and then hook it up . if you have a load tester ck it with that before you hook it up and ck the condition .hope this helps

11-09-2009	#3
XfireZ51 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 9,708	Re: Intermittant No Start Tom, I had similar symptoms. I replaced my starter to a used 94 and had one incident 2 months ago, and nothing ever since.

11-09-2009	#4
Kevin Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: pittsburgh Posts: 4,632	Re: Intermittant No Start clutch switch __________________ It's not the car, it's the people - Doug Johnson 90 r/r "KEYS ON" nick named "T.L.B"

11-10-2009	#5
tomtom72 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA Posts: 4,645	Re: Intermittant No Start Thanks guys, I'm grateful for the input. I'm going to start at the battery and work my way to the other suspects. I gotta say the battery was my first suspect, but when I found out it was only 3 yrs old I kind of crossed it off of the list. This car rarely gets used, and when it does mostly it's less than 30 mile trips......unless I get Lou to follow me around! Tom __________________ 1990 ZR-1, Black/grey, #2233, stock. ZR-1 Net Reg Founding Member #316 & NCM member

11-10-2009	#6
LGAFF Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Crystal Lake, IL Posts: 7,194	Re: Intermittant No Start If you push in the clutch pedal and see a volt drop, the switch is fine. Everyone told me clutch pedal switch also and it turned out to be the starter....same symptoms as you had here. __________________ LGAFF 90 #966-150K miles-sold 92 #234-sold 1987 Callaway TT #17 1991 ZR-1 #1359

11-10-2009	#8
tccrab Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Folsom CA Posts: 1,655	Re: Intermittant No Start First thing I'd do is to clean the battery terminals. Just a tiny bit of crud there will cause all kinds of gremlins. Doesn't sound like it needs my "Dreaded No Start" mod just yet. TomC "Crabs" __________________ TomC '90ZR1 #792 Honorary Pirate [B]If it ain't FUN, you're doing something terribly WRONG. [/B]

11-10-2009	#9
LGAFF Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Crystal Lake, IL Posts: 7,194	Re: Intermittant No Start Turn the ignition switch to on, push in the clutch and you should see a drop in voltage on the volt meter. If you see a drop in voltage, whent the clutch is depressed it means that the switch is working. __________________ LGAFF 90 #966-150K miles-sold 92 #234-sold 1987 Callaway TT #17 1991 ZR-1 #1359