4Age Starter Motor Issue

[rian]

Hey RC!

 

So this afternoon I tried to start my recently acquired AE82 4AGE bigport, it started fine but after about a minute of the engine running the starter motor re-engaged the ring gear and I had to turn the engine off. I then tried to start the engine again and the starter motor was engaging and cranking the engine when the key was turned to the 'ON' position instead of the 'START' position, and the engine would not start. So I tried turning the key one notch further to the 'START' position and the starter motor stopped. I tried this numerous times with varying results, occasionally the starter would not crank when the key was in either position, and occasionally the starter would just make a really loud ticking sound.

 

I had a quick look at the wiring for the starter but everything seemed intact and it was getting dark so I gave up. Someone seems to have installed a relay into the starter circuit and I suspect this may be the problem, though I don't quite understand the relay circuit so I'm not sure how to attack it.

Tomorrow I plan on pulling the exhaust off and having a look at the starter motor and the wiring, so any suggestions on possible causes of the problem would be great!

 

The only other thing I could thing of that's causing the problem is the ignition switch, it is quite worn and the key can be removed while in the 'ON' and 'ACC' postion. Has anyone had problems with the ignition switch before, do they short out sometimes?

 

If anyone knows what it might be I'd love to hear your ideas.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 12, 2012 by rian

[altezzaclub]

Have to be key switch or relay, not starter.

 

Shouldn't be the relay as it would only activate when the key switch sends it a message, which should only be on "start" position.

 

The starter only responds to current down the solenoid line, so it shouldn't be involved at all.

 

So strip the key switch out and convert the "start" circuit over to a push button!

[rian]

Alright I'm doing that tomorrow! Thanks for the help Altezzaclub.

[rian]

I had another go at this today, it isn't the ignition barrel because I unplugged it and then ran wires from the pins inside the plug to connect the circuits.

I could get the dash accessories to come on, the ignition to come on (well the oil pressure/charge lights on the dash came on so I'm guessing that was the ignition circuit working), and I could get the starter motor to turn over as well.

 

BUT the problem was that I could not get them all to work at once.

I could get the accessories to come one, the ignition to come on, but with those 2 circuits connected the starter motor would not turn when I connected the starter motor pins inside the plug.

 

Then I disconnected the accessories and ignition circuits and ran a wire from the starter motor pins and the starter motor would turn over, but then the ignition circuit would not work.

 

And occasionally the starter motor would turn over when I connected the ignition pins inside the plug.

 

What a pain in the butt!

I'm guessing the ignition and starter motor wires have started to short out on each other somewhere because the car wasn't doing this before.

I'll just have to try and fix it when I come down next, which is like 7 weeks away :bash:

Edited April 13, 2012 by rian

[Trev]

I have spare ignition switches if you need to try one.