# 93 Sentra - Starter/Inhibitor Relay Location and other starter issues?



## Juan! (Jun 24, 2009)

Okay guys, I have replaced the starter on my 93 three times. The original died a couple years ago so we replaced it. The replacement made horrible noises while starting and stopped working a few weeks later. The next one seemed to work great until a few months ago when it decided to randomly start/not start whenever it felt like it. Recently it wouldn't start at all so we replaced it again. It has been working fine for a couple weeks but last night and this morning it refused to start again.

I can't believe that all these starters have died. The first one was a dud I think, it sounded horrible. The other 2 should have been fine, they worked great, just didn't last long.

So now I want to check the starter/inhibitor relays or any other relays/wiring that could be at fault. I just don't know where they are.

Last night when it wouldn't start, I hooked up jumper cables between it and my truck and it started right up. May have just been a fluke. When I get home later I will try that again. If it starts with jumper cables then what could it be? Faulty battery? The battery appears to hold a full charge. It is fairly new and my stereo/lights/etc all come on when I go to start it. But maybe it doesn't do well under the large draw from the starter?? Just a guess.

I haven't noticed any difference by shifting in/out of park/neutral or doing funny things with the ignition so I don't THINK those are at fault, but who knows.

Wow way too long, TIA.


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## Juan! (Jun 24, 2009)

I'm going to dig into it in a few hours I think, hopefully I can find the relay!

And hopefully that is the problem!


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## Juan! (Jun 24, 2009)

Well I found the relay, jumped it, didn't work. I was tracing the fairly thick negative cable from the battery back behind the engine and it came loose. With almost no effort at all, so this cable must have been extremely loose. Where should this cable go? Since it came off I assume the bolt that used to hold it is gone. So I don't know where it goes or what size bolt I need to put it back on. :facepalm:


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## LvR. (May 26, 2010)

Cable layout may be different in your side of the world, but here in South Africa that fat negative (black) cable has a lug on it that is clamped by one of the starter bolts - ie - the starter bolt goes through the lug and then into the starter flange hole


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## Juan! (Jun 24, 2009)

Wow so when the latest replacement starter was installed, that cable wasn't put on... nice... Haha. Does it NEED to be under the starter or should it work to ground it anywhere?


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## LvR. (May 26, 2010)

Electrically it makes sense to always have serious current carrying cables connected to the items consuming that current - so yes - IMO it NEEDS to be on the starter itself.

Mechanically it also makes sense because the starter will invariably also last longer and you will have less starter related issues on colder days


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## Juan! (Jun 24, 2009)

That's what I figured but I thought I'd ask anyway. Thanks!


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