legacycentral bbs

I might be making something of nothing, but I swear some times when I start up my car when cold, there is a second delay before it starts. Meaning, I turn the key to the start position and nothing happens (no sound the engine is even turning over) for a second, and then it starts right up. Traveling down the road my voltage is ~14.2V so I'm fairly sure the charging system is fine. This is a fairly new development, since I'm used to the engine at least cranking for a second when I turn the key to start.

Is this a sign of a upcoming problem?

mine does the exact same thing
i think its just old worn out key cyclinder thingy

It could be the clutch switch that makes sure the clutch is fully disengaged when trying to start since you have a 5spd.
Mine will do that sometimes

That was never wired up for my swap

I had the same problem, and it got really bad when the car was cold. Bad like I had to keep trying the ignition for five minutes to get it to start. I replaced the starter with a re-manufactured one and the problem disappeared.

Hope that helps.

Yea, I'm hoping its not the starter since it was replaced with a used one 4 months ago with the tranny swap.

BSOD2600 wrote:Yea, I'm hoping its not the starter since it was replaced with a used one 4 months ago with the tranny swap.

A low mile JDM used one!

I am almost positive the problem is the ignition switch that your key goes into.

My Fix: wire up a button that supplies power to the starter solenoid. All I do is turn the key to on. ^^^push button starter^^^

Update:

Yea, I'm pretty darn sure its the starter thats going out. Car wouldn't turn over at all this morning, just would make a click noise. After beating on the starter a little bit, then it fired right up. Didn't have problems later in the day starting it either, so must be temperamental.

Shouldn't matter if I get some reman starter from Schucks/Napa, right?

I had the same issue a few months ago. I only heard a clicking when I turned the key. I ordered a remanufactured one from partsamerica.com and picked it up at shucks plus turned in the old one for the core deposit. I cleaned off the contacts for the starter connectors before I put in the replacement and I haven't had any problems since.

Try running a wire from the positive battery terminal to the starter solenoid when your car is out of gear and the key is turned to "ON".

If it starts up it isn't your starter, and you had beaten on it for nothing.

Imprezive wrote:Try running a wire from the positive battery terminal to the starter solenoid when your car is out of gear and the key is turned to "ON".

Thats got to be a fairly beefy cable, right. Something like 16 awg would melt from the current?

Yes.....you'll nuke a 16 awg cable.

I'd suggest at least a 4 awg cable.

Yea, figured as much. Well I don't have anything that large laying around. Wouldn't start again today until I tapped it a bit, so I'm just going to buy a reman starter and hope it fixes the problem.

Went to NAPA and picked up a replacement. Got home, took it apart and noticed the new one wasn't the same! Got the roommate to drive me back to napa and the guy had to look up the correct part number in their book, since the computer had it wrong. While I was there, had him test the old starter and he said there was a short in it. Got the new one installed just fine.

That easy job took twice as long as it should...

I would have suggested just replacing the starter solenoid contacts as opposed to the whole starter - but you've already spent the money...