Starter no workie

[viperbaron]

I drove the ZR-1 up to the grocery and all was normal. Then when I attempted to start it, no click, no nothing. All indicators are normal, have lights, dash indicators good, just the starter would not engage or spin.
I looked at the fuse panel on the passenger side and found no blown fuses.
Note: I did wash the engine 3 days prior to this failure, but the car & engine had run fine since the engine wash for 3 days.
Suggestions on where and what to look for?

[Paul Workman]

First place to look would be the clutch safety (interlock) switch. You can pull the connector off and jumper it and see if that "cures" it. If it is a pre 93, chances are it will "fix" it. (clutch switch is by far most often the cause of the "no start". Since there is no "click", that really increases the chances too.)

90-92...



93-95...



Hope these pix help (care of Marc Haibeck)

[viperbaron]

Thank you for the diagram, but where exactly is the neutral safety switch located on a '91? I assume it is somewhere under the car on the transmission?

[Hib Halverson]

A ZR-1 has no neutral safety switch.

There is a clutch position switch underneath the dash up on the brake/cluch pedal assy.

See the Service Manual for details.

[viperbaron]

So I try it again today and the darn thing starts right up.
After refusing to start, a tow job home and a day sitting in the driveway, it now starts just fine.
Why?

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by viperbaron

So I try it again today and the darn thing starts right up.
After refusing to start, a tow job home and a day sitting in the driveway, it now starts just fine.
Why?

Put the Z in second gear and get a couple guys to shove it forward with clutch depressed. With key on just pop the clutch and off you go.

See Item #2 Lifting and Towing the ZR-1

[RussMcB]

That exactly happened to me a couple of weeks ago, and I think it has happened to many. Lots of similar posts when I researched here.

on edit: We tried push starting but it didn't help.

The approach I took was to do all of the recommended mods, such as the starter relay, to make sure the starter gets max volts (which it apparently needs - make sure the battery is well charged). I also included a way to use a jumper wire to bypass EVERYTHING (key, VATS, clutch, ...). It's a little embarassing to jump a car to get home, but at least it works.

Probably overkill, but I put in a fresh starter when I was under the plenum, for peace of mind.

FWIW, I bought the VATS bypass from Eckler's, and it didn't seem to have any affect (which I guess tells me my problem wasn't VATS).

Also, I added a fuel pressure gauge to always know if fuel pressure was a problem. I suppose a warning light would work, too, and may be simpler to install. Since installing, it has always read good pressure.

Good luck. You're not alone.

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by RussMcB

We tried push starting but it didn't help.

You must have done it wrong
Push Starting ALWAYS works

[Mr Blue]

Mine died in the driveway a couple of years ago. Drove home from work, ate dinner, went to put the car away and nothing. Ended up soldering resistors in the steering column. Fools the VATS. If you go this route, you need to ohm out the resistor on your key and match that resistance in the key circuit. Good luck!!
David

[RussMcB]

Originally Posted by Dynomite

You must have done it wrong
Push Starting ALWAYS works

Hmm. You know what? You helped refresh my memory. On that particular incident, the starter turned the engine over fine, but it wouldn't fire. We tried pushing it but still nothing. I returned the next morning and the same thing happened - Starter turned over fine (we used jumper cables), but it wouldn't fire. I went home, got my trailer, towed the car home, unloaded it and it started right up.

Thanks for reminding me. I forgot I had both kinds of problems - Starter spinning and not spinning.