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Thread: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

  1. #1
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    car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    well to start this is my first post. i've searched and can not find similar problem.
    the car is a 1988 lxi coupe 5 speed (300k miles)
    the car is also been kept up on maintenance spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor are all less then 6 months old

    car won't start. This all started when i decided to do The Big 3 (upgrade grounding and battery + positive to bigger wire)
    i used knukonceptz cable 0 gauge for + and 4 gauge for grounding
    i got a little carried away and grounded the fuse box not the cable that leads to the battery but the other one that runs by the battery and headlight motor and hooks up to a harness around there. i blew the battery fuse 70 amp, ecu/clock and, radio fuse. I replaced all of them and car started up and i was able to use the car for 3 days. on the third day i used the car through out the day but when i decided to go to napa auto parts, thats where it all begins. I got there parked the car went in for 5 mins and when i came out the car didn't want to start. i checked all my fuses, checked the wiring leading to the starter they were all nice and tight. i had my brother meet me there, we swapped the battery trying to get it to start again and nothing, we ended up push starting the car in reverse. i got the car home and left it on for about 20 mins. turned it off and once again it didn't start.

    when i put my key into the ignition and turn it. all my lights come on like they normally do i hear the fuel pump like i normally would and the check engine comes on like it should and turns off. Then when i go to start the car im only getting one click and its coming from the main relay and from where all the vacuum lines go into, the box on the passenger side under the hood ( im also not getting any codes from what i think is the ecu under the driver seat)

    a list of what i have done so far
    checked all my fuses replaced the ones under the hood in the fuse box, the 40 amp ones, also have replaced some under the dash just in case
    i bought a remanufactured starter still nothing, i also removed it and got the new and old one tested at autozone. old one didn't work the new one did, shot out and spinned like it should
    went back to how the wiring was set up before the big 3 upgrade ( i used 0 gauge from battery + to starter idk if that makes a difference since it seems everyone does battery + to alternator)
    i have attempted to push start again and it won't start up it seems like it wants to car shakes and everything
    i went to my local pick a part and picked up 3 coils and 3 main relays and have tested all of them on the car in multi-combinations
    i tried jumping the starter once with a long screw driver and the second time with wires hooked up directly to the starter (almost like a push start system button operated)
    i know the battery is good it's less then 2 months old and i've recharged it just to double check, i have also used a battery from my brothers car which i know is good

    so if you guys can please help
    sorry for long post but just trying to be very descriptive
    do our cars have starter relays?



  2. #2

    2oodoor's Avatar
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    Does this car have a clutch switch that blocks the starter power unless the pedal is down?

  3. #3
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    would this happen to be the clutch interlock switch? it leads to clutch pedal and it has a black wire and a pink colored one? i just tested it for continuity and it passed well the actual switch not the harness, i'll test the harness for voltage.
    since i have owned the car i haven't needed to press the clutch to start the car, as long as it was in neutral it could start right up. or i could put it in first and press the clutch and it would also start either/or would start the car.

    during testing though i thought maybe i should attempt to start the car. I disconnected the clutch interlock switch inserted the key into the ignition and turned it to on position without cranking it to start. The car chugged and i got a little bit of white smoke from the intake im assuming that might had been a little bit of gasoline. i disconnected the battery and checked fuses everything is fine, attempted to do the same thing again, with the intake removed and i didn't get the same results.

  4. #4
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    i went to re-test the clutch interlock switch as stated in the manual i didn't press in the clutch the first time i tested.
    when the clutch isn't pushed in i get continuity but when the clutch is pushed in i do not get any continuity. again this at the clutch interlock switch

    i attempted to test the harness that connects to the clutch interlock switch (a black wire and a pink colored wire) for any voltage with the key in the ignition at every position, i do not get any reading. does the harness carry any voltage?

  5. #5

    Dr_Snooz's Avatar
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    Let us know what you learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBUYs539cy4
    Dr_Snooz

    "I like to take hammers, and just break stuff, just break stuff." - Beavis


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  6. #6
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    i haven't been able to do more testing. i haven't gotten the chance to go to my local pick a part. a friend that knows more then i do about cars, believes the problem is at the black box where the vacuum lines lead to. i'm going to start there and move on to ignition switch and wiring after the black vacuum box.

    so again i get voltage at the starter and at the battery but when i go to crank i'm losing voltage somewhere and it doesn't make it to the starter.
    seems like i'm losing the starter signal somewhere. it should just crank, it gets voltage, the problem really is just at cranking.
    all im getting when i turn the ignition is the fuel sound that it reached the engine, a click from the main relay, and when i go to crank/start position i get a click from the black vacuum box.

    (and as far as the video link. i got it down air /fuel/ spark and mechanically sound. the timing belt was done about 2 years back i know thats good)

  7. #7

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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    Does'nt sound like anything in the black box. Sounds like a main battery connection or ground fom the batt to the engine block. Ignition switch possibly but there would be other things being erractic I think. I had this issue once and it turned out to be black film on the battery terminal, wire brush took care of it... didn't look like typical corrosion.

  8. #8
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    There are two switches on the clutch pedal. Your description of the switch you tested sounds like the one for the cruise control - continuity when the pedal is NOT pressed. Did you happen to see/find strange pieces of blue plastic on the floor mat under the pedals?
    -----------------
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  9. #9
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    After several months I was able to get the car running again. It took me a while i just got busy with work and life in general. With a last attempt to fix it the car I decided to switch my ecm/ecu computer on the car and IT WORKED =) ....finally.
    It did come with a few problems I replaced the ecm with an 87 5 speed lxi car instead of an 88. When i turn on the car it revs to 3000rpm stays there for two minutes when the car is cold. Once the car warms up it idle correctly with the exception of a thumping sound coming from the throttle almost like it would be closing. I adjusted the accelerator cable as much as i could but can not seem to get it correct. Also whenever i change gears while driving the car it revs up to 3000rpm then it goes back down to where it should but this happens 70% of time. The last thing it has been doing is in whichever gear i am, if i speed up gradually the car seems to go into cruise control mode and just maintains speed in flat surfaces for the most part it stays that way unless i go over a bump or do anything to disrupt it such as pressing clutch or brake.

    Just wondering would most of this be because the ecm isn't an exact match or because the car has been sitting for most of this year?

  10. #10

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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    87 and 88 have quite different intake manifolds and the ecm would be different for one thing idle controls are not the same.

  11. #11

    Dr_Snooz's Avatar
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    Sounds like a sticky throttle cable.
    Dr_Snooz

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  12. #12
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    Thanks for all the input I'm going to look into getting the exact ecm/ecu. About the sticky throttle cable, would i just replace it or maybe use grease or some sort of lubricant? Also is the dome light, cigarette light, and stereo one circuit because I don't have any of them?

  13. #13

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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    The throttle cable runs inside a plastic sleeve. When the sleeve wears through, it makes the cable sticky. Lube won't fix it, unfortunately. It has to be replaced.
    Last edited by Dr_Snooz; 10-03-2013 at 07:27 PM.
    Dr_Snooz

    "I like to take hammers, and just break stuff, just break stuff." - Beavis


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  14. #14
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    The throttle cable runs inside a plastic sleeve. When the sleeve wears through, it makes the cable sticky. Lube won't fix it, unfortunately. I has to be replaced.
    The throttle cable on both my Hondas would stick in hot weather.... It was pretty irritating. Anyway, I realized that the thicker plastic part (the part that sticks out of the fire wall) was broken.
    It's kinda ghetto, but I slid one of the little holder things (The little piece that the cable pops into) over the crack, and it hasn't stuck since haha.

  15. #15
    DX User skong's Avatar
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    Re: car won't start The Big 3 gone wrong

    The dome light, cig lighter and radio share the same fuse 13 under the hood.

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