# No electricity to starter motor



## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

riddle me this: I drove to the grocery store on Thursday night and when i got back in and turned the key, the starter didn't turn. All the lights lit up, i heard the fuel pump, and heard a click every time i turned the key to start, but that was all. I got *no* reaction from the starter motor.

I tried several times, manually hit the clutch pedal switch, even shorted it out and tried turning the key. _still_ nothing.
popped the hood. tried to see if anything was awry by light of cell phone. didn't see anything, closed hood. asked a couple guys to push me to compression-start. before they pushed, i turned the key just for kicks and it started up like nothing had happened! ...frustrating...

Friday: started it with no problems, and drove it about 5 minutes or so to a mechanic to do my safety and emissions tests. pulled it up to the bay and walked in to office. gave the guy my key and registration and went outside. he hopped in and turned the key, looked at me weird, and asked if there was something special he was supposed to do to get it to start.
That's kind of a funny story right there, but suffice it to say he passed me on both tests without even putting it up on a lift or turning the engine on. As i was leaving, i hopped in for him to help push-start me. turned the key just for kicks, and it started again, no prob!

common variables: it didn't work, then i opened the hood and wiggled some wires, and then it started.

Yesterday it happened again. i tried opening the hood and wiggling the wires around the starter, but got nothing at all. I checked the fuses--there's a 7.5A in position 26 in the fuse box below the steering wheel, and a 10A fuse in position 21 that's also in the circuit. they're both good. There's a 30A fuse for the starter in a fuse box beside the battery and as far as i can tell, it's good too.

from the wiring diagram, those are the only fuses i can see that it goes through.


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

here's a wiring diagram for your convenience.


I put a voltimeter between the b/w wire that feeds from the wiring web to the solenoid, and the positive terminal on the battery and had a friend crank it. Nothing showed up.

sound like a familiar problem to anyone?

where can i check for another problem? please help!


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

Sounds like you have a loose wire or bad connection somewhere - could be at the ignition or from battery to starter solenoid. Make sure all your grounds and terminals are clean, take off wires from solenoid and clean the contacts there. You can also run a wire directly from the Positive Battery Terminal to the solenoid (be careful how you do that!!) and see if it starts - that would eliminate the solenoid and the starter as the problem.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

probably more than a few here have had to replace the switch part of the switch lock assembly.

I think i have only seen one person, and that was recent, replace the actual wire.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

I dont understand your description of your attempted measurement ?
Try again, you measured from the battery 12v to the solenoid actuation pin ? or power terminal?
When you turn the key you need to measure to any good ground.

Try giving the starter body a good whack when it wont start, try not to bump the wires.
If it starts its the brushes in the motor or a stuck solenoid


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## RayVIN (Dec 16, 2009)

I'm having the same problem 1996 Sentra GXE Manual transmission. 235k I was told the 07' battery was dead (load tester) The new 12.75 v battery didnt start it. I had a new starter put in and positive terminal upgraded. I drove after the repairs but now I turn the key and nothing. 5 min later it started and I brought it back to the shop 1/2 block away. He satrted it 30 times no problem.


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

turns out the problem was the starter, like what IanH said. The brushes in the motor weren't making contact, so the motor wasn't turning. When it started, it was because enough of the brushes were making contact, but occasionally it would stop at a dead spot and wouldn't be able to turn. That's why hitting it with a hammer works--you jostle the motor shaft to a point where the brushes make contact and the motor will spin.

I just replaced the starter and it works like a champ again. the new starter sounds like a honda's, which i'm not really a fan of. 



RayVIN said:


> I'm having the same problem 1996 Sentra GXE Manual transmission. 235k I was told the 07' battery was dead (load tester) The new 12.75 v battery didnt start it. I had a new starter put in and positive terminal upgraded. I drove after the repairs but now I turn the key and nothing. 5 min later it started and I brought it back to the shop 1/2 block away. He satrted it 30 times no problem.


Replace your starter, man. That's more than likely your problem, like it was mine. be prepared to spend $130-$150 on a remanufactured one.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Dont forget to save your receipt for your warranty, re-man starters and Alternators are not know for their good quality, sometimes you have to replace one or two before you get a good one.


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

IanH said:


> Dont forget to save your receipt for your warranty, re-man starters and Alternators are not know for their good quality, sometimes you have to replace one or two before you get a good one.


duly noted. I noticed already that it likes to grind. I mean if i don't let off the key *exactly* at the right time, it'll grind. i can't imagine it lasting too long if it does that _every_ time i start it. Autozone should have linked the warranty to my phone number, but i'll be sure to keep the receipt just in case, since you mention it. thanks for the heads up.


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