Sometimes she doesn't crank.....

[MKIII VIXEN]

If I drive my car some where, it has to sit a while before it will crank. It's really strange. It did this once or twice last summer, but when I stopped using the AC it didn't do it anymore. I turn the key everything appears normal, but it will not turn over. Any ideas would be helpful.

Thanks
Vonda

 

[PROJECT N00b]

fuse maybe? for ign.

 

[dbsupra90]

vonda-

isnt your car auto?

if so, sounds like your neutral safety switch is going out. mine used to do the same thing.

it could also be the starter.

one thing you could do is hook up a long wire to the starter signal wire. when it wont start, tap the wire to the battery and see if it cranks. if so, its the switch. if not, its the starter. i know this isnt the best way to go about it but its easy and effective.

 

[MKIII VIXEN]

Yes my car is auto.

The strange thing is that it fires right up every morning. I drive it to work and in the evening I have no problems. Today I stopped at the store on my way home, come out and it will not turn over. It only seems to happen when I try to start it back after only having it turned off for a short time.

Thanks for the info.
Vonda

 

[thebuddrik]

its your starter. on my first supra, my starter went out and i got a rebuilt one from the zone. a week later it started that crap, it always does it when its hot. i feel for u, it is not fun to change.

 

[tte]

vonda-

isnt your car auto?

if so, sounds like your neutral safety switch is going out. mine used to do the same thing.

it could also be the starter.

One thing you could do is hook up a long wire to the starter signal wire. when it wont start, tap the wire to the battery and see if it cranks. if so, its the switch. if not, its the starter. i know this isnt the best way to go about it but its easy and effective.

My car used to have that same problem. I was fed up with it so I tapped into the starter signal wire. Then the problem went away. Its been a year since it last occurred.

Cheers,
Roy

 

[IJ.]

V: Next time it does it try putting the shifter in N.

 

[JustinGotA1j]

sounds like it could be a bad ground somewheres off your battery. my dads truck did the same thing a while back...when the engine was cold it would start but when it got warm it wouldn't...his turned out to be a worn out battery ground.

 

[MKIII VIXEN]

thebuddrik, Sounds like mine. It only does this when it's hot.

tte, Thanks for the tip.

IJ, I've tried that. It just will not turn over, no matter what. Then I wait a while and like magic she starts..........:dunno:

Justin, we are checking that again. We have alreadylooked over that sort of thing, but we are rechecking.

Thanks for the idea's.

 

[IJ.]

Try a new starter relay V.
(my guess is still the NSS)

 

[Blackfin]

V: Next time it does it try putting the shifter in N.

or put it in park and push the shift lever forward while turning the ignition. It may simpy be an out of adjustment neatral safety switch.

 

[suprahero]

I've got a NSS that was donated by one of our upstanding citizens on here. I won't say who he is but he's from Washington and drives a very high horsepowered blue supra and sometimes he bleeds from the head profusely............:biglaugh:

 

[kwnate]

vixen is hot

 

[suprahero]

and I thought you donated it to us because we were buddies.............

:biglaugh:

 

[IJ.]

Jay: Worth trying the relay first as the NSS looks like a bitch to get at in the car.....

 

[ForcedTorque]

Vonda........I think it's a white car thing! My car is having the same problem, and I had a bout with it today as well. In my car, I'm pretty sure it is the starter. I knock on the starter with the handle from my cheap little floor jack I keep in the car. It hasn't happened but a few times, but the starter tap always works after a few tries. Just as you, mine only happens after it gets hot, and has been turned off recently.

 

[csr ma71]

My car used to have that same problem. I was fed up with it so I tapped into the starter signal wire. Then the problem went away. Its been a year since it last occurred.

Cheers,
Roy

I concur. 90% of the posts relating to starting problems talks about replacing the contacts. That didn't work for me so I just t-tapped the signal wire directly to the starter and that fixed it. Way simpler that way.

 

[jetjock]

A little tip for no crank situations: Remove the EFI fuse and listen for a click from the passenger footwell each time the key is turned to start. If the click is there the problem lies in either the NSW or starter. With a manual tranny the problem will be in the starter. Assuming a good battery and connections this technique proves everything (Ign key, clutch switch, factory alarm, etc) right up to those points.

 

[tte]

Like I said earlier, I just tapped into the starter signal wire and wired it to a switch under my dashboard.

I used this switch as an emergency option when my car would not start. That way I did not waste money towing it.

I also unplugged the connector the factory alarm and found out it had water in it. I cleaned and dried that too.
That might have been the problem because after that my car always started fine.

Cheers,
Roy

 

[suprahero]

Thanks guys for all the info. I've replaced the starter relay since I had an extra one, and I tightened all of the grounds and battery terminals. They were a little loose. I'll try the other tips this weekend. Hopefully it'll run for her till then. She can always drive the 99 Alero, but she's kind of hooked on the supra.