For the last week or so my '97 SE Auto has been plagued by an intermittent no crank condition when trying to start it. Searching the forum didn't reveal to many potential solutions for this conditions and there are no CEL codes other than the typical KS code. The first time it failed to crank, I had to fetch my tools and a tow rope (in the event I couldn't get it to start). Upon my return (about an hour later) the thing fired right up. I hadn't touch a thing at that point which really bothered me.

Anyway, continuing my search here suggested it could be a faulty iggy switch. So for good measure I replaced it with a new one. At the same I cleaned the battery posts and the negative cable terminal ends (both), I even took the motor grounding point off and cleaned that and confirmed the wiring to the starter was tight. So everything seemed golden until lat night and the no crank condition re-occurred. Same as before waited a period of time and the engine started right up.

I'm a little befuddled at this point. My thoughts now are the park/neutral switch is froggy, or I have a bad spot on the starter armature. I'm not sure what else could be holding out the starter from cranking.

Thoughts or suggetions ....

 

Have you tried starting in neutral? I believe there is a relay as well that may be faulty.

 

Yes I forgot to mention that as well. When it will not crank, it will not crank in Park or Neutral.

 

Try swapping the relay with an identical one from another circuit, like the cruise control. Also, when it will not start try running a wire from the starter trigger directly to the battery positive terminal. Also check the starter wire with a test light while turning the key to the start position.

 

When you get the no-crank condition, do all the dash lights go on? If they do, I bet you have the slop problem. There's a slot in the ignition switch that fits into a little T shaped flanged in the steering column. As these cars get older, they develop a little slop between the flange and the ignition switch, and sometimes turning the key doesn't quiiiiite make the ignition switch go far enough over. I solved it by putting a tiny piece of electrical tape in the slot on the switch, like this:
http://s397.photobucket.com/albums/p...Ignition-1.jpg. But after a while I found that the tape would slip out of place, so I graduated to SlopFix 2.0. I cut a little piece out of a coke can and crazy glued it to the inside of the long edge of the slot. Someone else duck taped the **** out of it. You just need something to fill in that gap.

 

Asand1, I down loaded the electrical section out of the FSM for the starting loop. There isn't much there. I'm about down to relays as suggested previously. That's my next trouble shooting mission. I will run the test light or my VOM to the starter trigger as well becasue as we know if it isn;t being energized the starter will never operate.

And DBear, yes all the dash lights go on as they would noramlly during the starting cycle. I read your switch slop cure and figured since I had north of 300K on the orignial iggy switch I would just repace it with a new one. The new switch is much tighter now but perhaps I still need to snug it up a bit more. When I did a post mortium on the old switch I thought I could see where the contacts (starting contacts) looked questionable as in worn. Looks like a little garage time is on my agenda tonight.

 

I don't think a new ignition switch will fix the problem. When I had it, I replaced the switch too, and it didn't help. The ignition switch sits in there pretty snugly, I think the problem is in the key cylinder. You could replace that, but that would cost a lot more than a shim in the ignition switch.

 

could be your crank position sensor as well or your starter is not grounded properly. Test both crank sensors per the FSM. Obviously something is intermittently failing and a sensor usually acts this way before completely dying