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-...sories&vxp=mtr

Good Luck!

'Crabs

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by 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-...sories&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

The Starter Solenoid is shown in the left photo with slight burnt contacts in right photo.


The Solenoid contacts in left photo were wire brushed clean in right photo.


Complete Starter Disassembly.
Photo provided by mgbrv8 Complete starter rebuild by mgbrv8 (Dave)

[Fully Vetted]

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

[tccrab]

Originally Posted by Fully Vetted

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.

[Fully Vetted]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.