maxinout93

I went to start my car this morning and turned the key to on to start it, but got nothing! the instrument cluster lights, radio, and clock came on, but no click from the starter or the engine. I tried to get a jump on the battery and still nothing, I tried to tighten the battery cables and starter cable but still got nothing when i turn the key! I checked the ingnition fuse, engine fuse, and tried to swap them out with others of the same fuse rating but still got nothing. I hear the fuel pump humming and everything, dont know whats going on Please help!

Darkwing48

iTrader: (1)

I'mma take a while guess and tell you to lock the doors from the outside, then unlock the doors again and try to see if it starts.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

either bad ignition switch or starter solenoid.

open the hood and listen for clicking under the hood and dash when you try to start. if you don't hear any clicking at all, it's probably the ignition switch. If you do, then it's probably the starter/solenoid.
HTH

richard_85zxt

Matt is dead on, though security systems can be funny, worth trying the lock unlock, but I'd go with starter or ignition, if it's the starter you can often tap the stater with something, and by tap I don't mean gentle. Some people go forever without changing the starter because they carry a hammer with them and tap the starter with and drive it. Me personally, I use it to make sure that's the issue then replace it. I'm a noob here and I can already tell Matt knows what he's talking about, listen to him.

maxinout93

Well guys thanks for the info. Like I said earlier the car would not start. It was getting power and all that, but no starter! And Im like here we go again! I just replaced the tranny last week, and now another problem? Well It just so happened that it may have been a security issue. The anti-theft light kept blinking when ever I would turn the car to try and start it. So I caught the bus to work this morning, thinking that stupid car! If its not one thing its something else! I get off work and go to start the car up, and Guess what: it starts right up. Im like wow! So I immediately disconnect the battery and put the battery tray back where its sopposed to be( it was in the trunk during the transmission replacement and I didnt put it back on!) I would look under the hood, and it would slide all over the place. But im glad it was nothing else. Thanks everyone!

richard_85zxt

Congrats on a simple fix. Keep the things mentioned by Matt in the back of your head though, sometimes starters and ignitions can be intermittent, especially starters. I remember a girl who had a bad starter on a 4runner and she carried a hammer with her, sometimes it started fine, but if it didn't she'd get out and hit the starter and start it right up. Rather funny to see from a 5'7 115 lb girl in a older 4runner. But back to my point, I hope it was only a 1 time thing and a security issue, I know on my Z's the security is set up that once its set and the alarm is tripped it won't start for 30 min, maybe something as simple as that, but if it happens again check starter and ignition, though to make things clear, I'm suspecting starter since the tranny was just replaced.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

maybe they didn't tighten the nut all the way on the high-amp cable from the battery to starter... intermittent contact? it's kindof a long shot cuz you'd likely hear arcing when trying to start it but having just replaced a clutch/flywheel/rearmain on nc90gxe's car last week, i know that it's definitely something that can be overlooked if you just spin the nut on but forget to tighten it (not that I ever have)

richard_85zxt

it is possible, not that any of us would ever do that, the bolts simply have a mind of their own I swear. Sometime when the starter is out it gets dropped kicked, etc. at the shops, and once they put it back on if it starts they consider it fine, and that is not always the case.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

or if they don't even disconnect and just let it dangle by the wires... had a starter that didn't work one time b/c the trigger wire frayed at the starter-end and almost pulled out of the casing. and might have even been shorting onto the grounded metal casing. it was already like that when i got it, but i didn't really notice it till after it was already installed on the car.

richard_85zxt

And THAT is why I do most all the work on my cars myself!!!!!!!!!!!

maxinout93

I think thats what happend also, because I tried to see if that starter bolt connection was loose, and it was a little. So I tightened it up as much as I could.